A dominant allele at the Mi locus on chromosome 6 of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) confers resistance to three species of root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne). The resistance, which is associated with a localized necrotic response, was originally introduced into tomato from the wild species Lycopersicon peruvianum. As a step towards the molecular cloning of Mi, we have identified closely linked DNA markers from both cDNA and genomic DNA libraries as restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs). DNA from tomato populations segregating for nematode resistance was analyzed to generate a high-resolution genetic map of this region. Additional information on gene order was obtained by comparing the size of the introgressed L. peruvianum chromosomal segment within a collection of nematode-resistant tomato lines. Among the four cDNA markers that are tightly linked to Mi, three are dominant, i.e. L. peruvianum-specific. One cDNA marker corresponds to a gene family comprising 20-30 members, one of which is diagnostic for all nematode-resistant genotypes tested. The presence of non-homologous sequences around the Mi gene may contribute to the suppression of recombination in this region of the genome in crosses heterozygous for Mi. The potential of 'walking' from closely linked markers to Mi is discussed.

Summary A dominant allele at the Mi locus on chromosome 6 of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) confers resistance to three species of root‐knot nematodes (Meloidogyne). The resistance, which is associated with a localized necrotic response, was originally introduced into tomato from the wild species Lycopersicon peruvianum. As a step towards the molecular cloning of Mi, we have identified closely linked DNA markers from both cDNA and genomic DNA libraries as restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs). DNA from tomato populations segregating for nematode resistance was analyzed to generate a highresolution genetic map of this region. Additional information on gene order was obtained by comparing the size of the introgressed L. peruvianum chromosomal segment within a collection of nematode‐resistant tomato lines. Among the four cDNA markers that are tightly linked to Mi, three are dominant, i.e. L. peruvianum‐specific. One cDNA marker corresponds to a gene family comprising 20–30 members, one of which is diagnostic for all nematode‐resistant genotypes tested. The presence of non‐homologous sequences around the Mi gene may contribute to the suppression of recombination in this region of the genome in crosses heterozygous for Mi. The potential of ‘walking’ from closely linked markers to Mi is discussed.

Conditional mutations in the genes CDC36 and CDC39 cause arrest in the Gl phase of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell cycle at the restrictive temperature. We present evidence that this arrest is a consequence of a mutational activation of the mating pheromone response. cdc36 and cdc39 mutants expressed pheromoneinducible genes in the absence of pheromone and conjugated in the absence of a mating pheromone receptor.On the other hand, cells lacking the G. subunit or overproducing the Ga, subunit of the transducing G protein that couples the receptor to the pheromone response pathway prevented constitutive activation of the pathway in cdc36 and cdc39 mutants. These epistasis relationships imply that the CDC36 and CDC39 gene products act at the level of the transducing G protein. The CDC36 and CDC39 gene products have a role in cellular processes other than the mating pheromone response. A mating-type heterozygous diploid cell, homozygous for either the cdc36 or cdc39 mutation, does not exhibit the Gl arrest phenotype but arrests asynchronously with respect to the cell cycle. A similar asynchronous arrest was observed in cdc36 and cdc39 cells where the pheromone response pathway had been inactivated by mutations in the transducing G protein. Furthermore, cdc36 and cdc39 mutants, when grown on carbon catabolite-derepressing medium, did not arrest in Gl and did not induce pheromone-specific genes at the restrictive temperature.

The nucleotide sequences of the yeast cell division cycle start genes CDC36, CDC37, and CDC39 are presented. An open reading frame corresponding in size and mapped position to the mRNA for each gene was revealed. These sequences, as well as that of the CDC28 gene, were analyzed for the presence of consensus sequences postulated to be transcriptional or translational signals, or to be involved in mRNA processing. In addition, the predicted protein products of the four genes were subjected to a number of structural and statistical analyses including codon usage bias analysis, secondary structure analysis and hydropathicity analysis.

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