Programmed cell death in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is one of the most studied model systems for molecular and cellular biology. In 1996, it became the first eukaryotic organism to have a completely sequenced genome (Dujon, 1996; Goffeau et al., 1996), which led to a number of valuable and widely accessed databases. Among its features is the short generation time (usually 90–120 minutes) and the ability to grow at various temperatures in relatively inexpensive media. Moreover, many of its genes are well characterized, thanks in part to its amenability to modifications such as gene disruption, gene marking, mutations, or gene-dosage modifications. Because of these advantageous features, it has become the model organism of choice for many investigators in fields ranging from basic biology to biomedical research.