Functionally homologous cell cycle control genes in budding and fission yeast

Abstract

The cdc 2 (previously called wee 2) cell cycle start gene of Schizosaccharomyces pombe, which is required for start and the control of mitosis, was isolated from an S. pombe gene bank by complementation of a cdc 2 mutation. A functionally homologous sequence which complements the cdc 2 mutation was also isolated from a Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene bank and this sequence contains the cdc 28 cell cycle start gene of S. cerevisiae. The cdc 2 and cdc 28 genes perform homologous cell cycle control functions in the 2 organisms.