Hyperthermotolerant fission yeast mutations, sow1 and sow2, suppress the cell cycle defect and stress sensitivity of MAP kinase kinase wis1Delta. 
Wis1 is a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MAPKK) that regulates mitosis and mediates stress responses in the fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe.  wis1Delta strains are viable but stress-sensitive and show a mitotic delay.  At high temperatures, wis1Delta cells cease division but cellular growth continues.  Mutations that suppress the heat sensitivity of a wis1Delta strain were isolated and map to two apparently novel loci, sow1 (for suppressor of wis1Delta) and sow2.  In addition to suppressing wis1Delta heat sensitivity, sow1 and sow2 can suppress wis1Delta osmosensitivity and cell cycle defects.  sow1 and sow2 mutants in a wis1+ background were able to grow at higher temperatures than wild-type and sow1 showed a mitotic advance.  The sow genes may therefore define a novel connection between stress tolerance and cell cycle control.