Deficiencies in mitochondrial DNA compromise the survival of yeast cells at critically high temperatures

To address possible roles of mitochondrial genes in adaptation of eukaryotic cells to critical temperatures, we compared thermotolerance of mitochondrial rho mutants and wild type cells of six rho positive yeast species: Candida glabrata, Saccharomyces bayanus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomyces eubayanus, Saccharomyces paradoxus and Saccharomyces pastorianus. All rho mutants manifested compromised thermotolerance as a common phenotype. Analysis of viabilities at critical temperatures (32–45 °C) showed the reduction of maximum permissive temperatures (MPTs) in all rho mutants in comparison to their wild type counterparts. Degrees of the compromised thermotolerance depended on maximum permissive temperatures for wild type cells: the highest levels of MPT reductions for rho mutants took place in species and strains with highest MPTs for wild types. Short term exposures of S. cerevisiae cells (up to 3.5 h) at non-permissive temperatures (45 °C and 50 °C) also lead to more rapid cell death of rho mutants as compared to wild type cells. We conclude that: (1) compromised thermotolerance could be a generic phenotypic property of rho mutants; (2) the enhanced thermotolerance of cells possessing mitochondrial genomes could be one of selective advantages in adaptation to environmental factors, in particular to enhanced temperatures.