Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae)

Yeast was the first eukaryote organism to have its entire genome sequenced. It has remained at the forefront of genetics research because it is quick and easy to grow.

Yeast was the first eukaryote organism to have its entire genome sequenced. It has remained at the forefront of genetics research because it is quick and easy to grow with an 80 minute generation time. Unlike many other microorganisms, strains of S. cerevisiae have both a stable haploid and diploid state. This makes it easy to isolate recessive mutations. The cell cycle in yeast is very similar to the cell cycle in humans and is regulated by homologous proteins. The discovery in yeast of two close homologs of the mammalian ras proto-oncogene is evidence of conservation from the simple yeast organism to the complex human organism. By examining the yeast genome sequence, it is possible to estimate how many yeast genes have significant mammalian homologs.