A probabilistic approach to the analysis of the frequency of diploid formation in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) mating.

Conditions of optimizing mating efficiency in the yeast. Saccharomyces cerevisiae were tested and measured as a number of prototrophic diploids. It was found that the process of diploid formation could be controlled by suitably adjusting cell densities in liquid mating medium and alpha: a mating type cell ratio. When the first was about 5 x 10(8) per ml and the second 1:10, respectively, every alpha cell was able to find a partner of opposite mating type. Some mathematical models of the "courtship" in yeast were advanced and the conclusions are discussed in the light of recent data on mating pathway in S. cerevisiae.