Mating Reaction in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. IV. Retardation of Deoxyribonucleic Acid Synthesis.

When a and α type haploid cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were mixed and cultured, deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis was retarded but ribonucleic acid and protein syntheses were not. It was found that culture filtrate of a type cells inhibited deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis of α type cells and that of α type cells inhibited that of a type cells. Thus, sex-specific diffusible substances secreted by opposite mating type cells are thought, at least partly, to be responsible for the retardation of deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]