CYTOPLASMICALLY INHERITED ETHIDIUM BROMIDE RESISTANCE IN SUPPRESSIVE PETITES OF SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE

Neutral petites were induced in three different [rho+] strains by treating with ethidium bromide. However, EB treatment of spontaneously generated suppressive petites, which were derived from the same [rho+] strains, produced no neutral petites and moreover had little or no effect on the suppressiveness of the petities. Genetic analysis showed that the ethidium bromide resistance of the suppressive petites was a manifestation of cytoplasmically inherited, respiratory deficiency.