The efficiency of protoplast fusions in haploid strains of P. guilliermondii was dependent on the strain used. I n the primary fusion colonies, a large proportion of non-dividing cells was sometimes observed. While in two strains stable hybrids occurred immediately after fusion, one strain showed a longer-lasting heterokaryotic state.It is now well established that stable hybrids can be constructed by protoplast fusion i n yeasts (FERENCZY 1981, ALFOLDI 1982). Little is known, however, about the processes involved, which start with the fusion of the cytoplasrriic niembranes of the protoplasts and end with the formation of stable hybrid cells. They include, for instance, the formation of an united cytoplasm froni the primary chiniaeric fusion product, the regeneration of the cell wall, the fusion of the nuclei within the heterokaryon and the formation of a typical yeast cell capable of normal reproduction by budding. Some of these processes may be similar to corresponding sexual processes, but they are certainly not so tightly ordered. Obviously, protoplast fusion differs from sexual hybridization : The preparation of the cells for mating by pheromones, which leads to an arrest in the GI-phase of the cell cycle, is absent. BURTON 1954, YRAHL et al. 1980), utilize n-alkanes as well as carbohydrates. In this paper we show that the formation of hybrid nuclei in the heterokaryons takes place in a non-identical way in different strains.
Materials and methodsStrains: Diauxotrophic mutants of several strains of P. guilliermondii were used ( Table 1). The mutations were induced by UV irradiation as described by BOTTCHER and SAMSONOVA (1977, 1978).Single markers reverted with a frequency lower than lo-*.Media: Solid complete medium (SCM) contained 2% glucose, 1% peptone, 2.5% malt extract, 1% yeast extract,, 2 O 4 , agar. Liquid complete medium contained 2% glucose, 2.5% ,peptone and 1% yeast extract. Solid minimal medium (SMM) was composed as described by BOTTCHER and SAMYONOVA (1978), except that 2 mg/l biotin was added to allow rapid growth of P.