The product of the yeast SUP45 gene (Sup45p) is highly homologous to the Xenopus eukaryote release factor 1 (eRF1), which has release factor activity in vitro. We show, using the two‐hybrid system, that in Saccharomyces cerevisiae Sup45p and the product of the SUP35 gene (Sup35p) interact in vivo. The ability of Sup45p C‐terminally tagged with (His)6 to specifically precipitate Sup35p from a cell lysate was used to confirm this interaction in vitro. Although overexpression of either the SUP45 or SUP35 genes alone did not reduce the efficiency of codon‐specific tRNA nonsense suppression, the simultaneous overexpression of both the SUP35 and SUP45 genes in nonsense suppressor tRNA‐containing strains produced an antisuppressor phenotype. These data are consistent with Sup35p and Sup45p forming a complex with release factor properties. Furthermore, overexpression of either Xenopus or human eRF1 (SUP45) genes also resulted in anti‐suppression only if that strain was also overexpressing the yeast SUP35 gene. Antisuppression is a characteristic phenotype associated with overexpression of both prokaryote and mitochondrial release factors. We propose that Sup45p and Sup35p interact to form a release factor complex in yeast and that Sup35p, which has GTP binding sequence motifs in its C‐terminal domain, provides the GTP hydrolytic activity which is a demonstrated requirement of the eukaryote translation termination reaction.

SUP35 is an omnipotent suppressor gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae coding for a protein consisting of a C-terminal part similar to the elongation factor EF-1 alpha and a unique N-terminal sequence of 253 amino acids. Twelve truncated versions of the SUP35 gene were generated by the deletion of fragments internal to the coding sequence. Functional studies of these deletion mutants showed that: (i) only the EF-1 alpha-like C-terminal part of the Sup35 protein is essential for the cell viability; (ii) overexpression of either the N-terminal part of the Sup35 protein or the full-length Sup35 protein decreases translational fidelity, resulting in omnipotent suppression and reduced growth of [psi+] strains; (iii) expression of the C-terminal part of the Sup35 protein generates an antisuppressor phenotype; and (iv) both the N- or C-terminal segments of the Sup35 protein can bind to 80S ribosomes. Thus, the data obtained define two domains within the Sup35 protein which are responsible for different functions.

The SUP35 gene of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae encodes a 76.5-kD ribosome-associated protein (Sup35p), the C-terminal part of which exhibits a high degree of similarity to EF-1 alpha elongation factor, while its N-terminal region is unique. Mutations in or overexpression of the SUP35 gene can generate an omnipotent suppressor effect. In the present study the SUP35 wild-type gene was replaced with deletion alleles generated in vitro that encode Sup35p lacking all or a part of the unique N-terminal region. These 5'-deletion alleles lead, in a haploid strain, simultaneously to an antisuppressor effect and to loss of the non-Mendelian determinant [psi+]. The antisuppressor effect is dominant while the elimination of the [psi+] determinant is a recessive trait. A set of the plasmid-borne deletion alleles of the SUP35 gene was tested for the ability to maintain [psi+]. It was shown that the first 114 amino acids of Sup35p are sufficient to maintain the [psi+] determinant. We propose that the Sup35p serves as a trans-acting factor required for the maintenance of [psi+].

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The overexpression of SUP35 (SUP2) wild-type gene, caused by increase of its copy number, induces an omnipotent suppression similar to the phenotype of mutants for this gene. The effect of extra-SUP35 was detected for moderate or even low copy number. Moreover, overdosage of the fragment including only the 5'-flanking region and N-terminal 100 bp of protein-coding sequence of SUP35 leads to allosuppression. Multi-SUP35 gene was also incompatible with extrachromosomal suppressor factor psi, presumably because of a high level of mistranslation. The suppressor effect caused by overdosage of another gene, SUP45 (SUP1), is much lower and can be detected only for one construction which is derived from high copy number plasmid. Suppression induced by extra-SUP35 and especially by extra-SUP45 is affected by the cell environment. A model predicting that the balance of gene products is a key for regulation of translational fidelity is discussed.