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Entire yeast genome squeezed into one lone chromosome

In a dramatic restructuring, two teams have created versions of baker’s yeast with vastly reduced chromosome counts.
  1. Ewen Callaway
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For millions of years, brewer’s yeast and its close relatives have packed their DNA into 16 distinct chromosomes. Now, two teams have used CRISPR gene-editing to stuff all of yeast’s genetic material — save a few non-essential pieces — into just one or two chromosomes. The feat represents the most dramatic restructuring yet of a complex genome and could help scientists understand why organisms split their DNA over chromosomes. And, to the researchers’ surprise, the changes had little effect on most functions of the yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae).

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doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-018-05857-9

Read the related News & Views article: ‘Chromosomes get together’

Updates & Corrections

  • Correction 02 August 2018: This article has been amended to make clear that there are about 1019 — not 10–19 — ways to arrange yeast’s 16 chromosomes into 1.

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