Increase of external osmolarity reduces morphogenetic defects and accumulation of chitin in a gas1 mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

We have performed a physiological analysis of the effects of high-osmolarit y media on gas1 Delta cells. The reductions in the duplication time, number of pluribudded cells, hypersensitivity to Calcofluor and sodium dodecyl su lfate, and chitin level indicate a partial suppression of the mutant phenot ype. GAS1 deletion was found to be lethal in the absence of the Bck1 and Sl t2 (Mpk1) proteins of the cell integrity pathway.