Copy Number Modulation in an Autoselection System for Stable Plasmid Maintenance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Efficient expression of a foreign gene requires a stable vector present at a high number of copies per cell. We have constructed an autoselection system for the stable maintenance of expression vector in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae that uses the fructose 1,6-bisphosphate aldolase gene (FBA1) to stabilize plasmids in cells bearing a disruption of the chromosomal FBA1 gene. This system allowed us to obtain stable production of a reporter heterologous enzyme (Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase) in rich media. By using an inducible promoter to regulate the expression of FBA1 gene, we have also obtained the modulation of plasmid copy number by carbon source.