A non-Mendelian factor, [eta+], causes lethality of yeast omnipotent-suppressor strains

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Abstract
Omnipotent suppressors cause translational ambiguity and have been associated with poor growth and inviability. We now report that a non-Mendelian element, [eta+], causes this inviability. In [eta−] strains the suppressors are not inviable. The [eta+] genetic element segregates to about 70% of the meiotic progeny, although almost all of the spores probably have the [eta+] phenotype for the first few divisions. Growth on 5 mM guanidine hydrochloride efficiently causes [eta+] strains to become [eta−]. The [eta+] factor has many similarities with the previously described [psi+] factor (Cox 1965, 1971). However, [eta+] and [psi+] differ in their patterns of inheritance, and by the fact that [psi+] affects ochre specific and not omnipotent suppressors, while the converse is true of [eta+].