Yeast genes involved in uranium tolerance and uranium accumulation; A Functional screening using the nonessential gene deletion collection

Sakamoto, Fuminori  ; Nankawa, Takuya ; Onuki, Toshihiko; Fujii, Tsutomu*; Iefuji, Haruyuki*

We screened 4908 non-essential gene deletion mutant yeast strains for uranium sensitivity and low accumulation by growth in agar medium containing uranium. All mutant strains grew successfully on agar media containing 0 or 0.5 mM uranium for one week at 30 centigrade. Thirteen strains with single gene deletions showed reduced growth in the agar medium containing 0.5 mM uranium and were identified as uranium-sensitive mutant strains. The phosphate transporter genes of PHO86, PHO84, PHO2, and PHO87 were among the deleted genes in the uranium-sensitive mutant strains, suggesting that genes concerned with phosphate transport contribute to uranium tolerance. Seventeen single-deletion strains showed lower uranium accumulation than the wild-type after exposure to agar medium containing 0.5 mM uranium, and were identified as mutant strains with low uranium accumulation.