An Investigation into the Potential Use of Chelating Agents and Antibiotics as Synchrony Inducers in the Fission Yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Abstract

Following the discoveries that the divalent cation ionophore A23187 and the divalent cation chelating agent EDTA can be used to synchronize yeast cell division, a study was undertaken of the possible use of other chelating agents and antibiotics which interact with divalent cations in controlling cell division in S. pombe. All the agents studied (5 chelators and 2 antibiotics) arrested cell division in growing cultures of this yeast, but only sodium pyrophosphate and citrate induced synchrony of cell division. Novobiocin produced a transient inhibition of cell division, treated cells exhibiting endogenous recovery in the continued presence of the antibiotic. The results obtained are discussed in relation to the hypothesis that the concentration of intracellular Mg2+ regulates cell division.