The cell cycle genes cdc22 ⁺ and suc22 ⁺ of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe encode the large and small subunits of ribonucleotide reductase

Abstract

The cdc22 ⁺ gene of Schizosaccharomyces pombe is required early in the cell cycle, and its transcript varies in concentration in step with the cell cycle, with a peak level at the G1-S boundary. The sequences of the cdc22 ⁺ gene and of a multicopy suppressor of cdc22 ^ts mutations, suc22 ⁺, have been determined. The cdc22 ⁺ open reading frame, which is interrupted in the genome by a single intron very close to its 5′ end, encodes a protein of 811 amino acids, which has an amino acid sequence highly similar to that of the large subunit of ribonucleotide reductase from several species. The suc22 ⁺ gene contains an uninterrupted open reading frame of 391 amino acids, very similar to the sequence of the small subunit of ribonucleotide reductase. Disruption of either gene is lethal. Upstream of the cdc22 ⁺ coding region are seven short sequence elements similar to the recognition sequence for MluI, which are involved in regulating periodic transcription of the gene. Inhibition of DNA synthesis by hydroxyurea results in a several-fold increase in the level of the cdc22 ⁺ transcript. In contrast, hydroxyurea does not induce the 1.5 kb transcript of suc22 ⁺, but results in the induction of a 1.9 kb mRNA which hybridises to suc22 ⁺ DNA.