scholarly journals Analysis of a recombination hotspot for gene conversion occurring at the HIS2 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Genetics ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 137 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
R E Malone ◽  
S Kim ◽  
S A Bullard ◽  
S Lundquist ◽  
L Hutchings-Crow ◽  
...  

Abstract The properties of gene conversion as measured in fungi that generate asci containing all the products of meiosis imply that meiotic recombination initiates at specific sites. The HIS2 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae displays a high frequency of gene conversion, indicating that it is a recombination hotspot. The HIS2 gene was cloned and sequenced, and the cloned DNA was used to make several different types of alterations in the yeast chromosome by transformation; these alterations were used to determine the location of the sequences necessary for the high levels of meiotic conversion observed at HIS2. Previous work indicated that the gene conversion polarity gradient is high at the 3' end of the gene, and that the promoter of the gene is not necessary for the high frequency of conversion observed. Data presented here suggest that at least some of the sequences necessary for high levels of conversion at HIS2 are located over 700 bp downstream of the end of the coding region, extend over (at least) several hundred base pairs, and may be quite complex, perhaps involving chromatin structure. Additional data indicate that multiple single base heterologies within a 1-kb interval contribute little to the frequency of gene conversion. This contrasts with other reports about the role of heterologies at the MAT locus.

1991 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 397-403 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroshi Kuriyama ◽  
Itaru Umeda ◽  
Harumi Kobayashi

Asexual yeast flocculation was studied using strong flocculents of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The inhibitory effect of cations on flocculation is considered to be caused by competition between those cations and Ca2+ at the binding site of the Ca2+-requiring protein that is involved in flocculation. Inhibition of flocculation by various cations occurred in the following order: La3+, Sr2+, Ba2+, Mn2+, Al3+, and Na+. Cations such as Mg2+, Co2+, and K+ promoted flocculation. This promoting effect may be based on the reduction of electrostatic repulsive force between cells caused by binding of these cations anionic groups present on the cell surface. In flocculation induced by these cations, trace amounts of Ca2+ excreted on the cell surface may activate the corresponding protein. The ratio of Sr2+/Ca2+ below which cells flocculated varied among strains: for strains having the FLO5 gene, it was 400 to 500; for strains having the FLO1 gene, about 150; and for two alcohol yeast strains, 40 to 50. This suggests that there are several different types of cell surface proteins involved in flocculation in different yeast strains. Key words: yeast, flocculation, protein, cation, calcium.


1985 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-26
Author(s):  
L Naumovski ◽  
G Chu ◽  
P Berg ◽  
E C Friedberg

We determined the complete nucleotide sequence of the RAD3 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The coding region of the gene contained 2,334 base pairs that could encode a protein with a calculated molecular weight of 89,796. Analysis of RAD3 mRNA by Northern blots and by S1 nuclease mapping indicated that the transcript was approximately 2.5 kilobases and did not contain intervening sequences. Fusions between the RAD3 gene and the lac'Z gene of Escherichia coli were constructed and used to demonstrate that the RAD3 gene was not inducible by DNA damage caused by UV radiation or 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide. Two UV-sensitive chromosomal mutant alleles of RAD3, rad3-1 and rad3-2, were rescued by gap repair of a centromeric plasmid, and their sequences were determined. The rad3-1 mutation changed a glutamic acid to lysine, and the rad3-2 mutation changed a glycine to arginine. Previous studies have shown that disruption of the RAD3 gene results in loss of an essential function and is associated with inviability of haploid cells. In the present experiments, plasmids carrying the rad3-1 and rad3-2 mutations were introduced into haploid cells containing a disrupted RAD3 gene. These plasmids expressed the essential function of RAD3 but not its DNA repair function. A 74-base-pair deletion at the 3' end of the RAD3 coding region or a fusion of this deletion to the E. coli lac'Z gene did not affect either function of RAD3.


1988 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 595-604
Author(s):  
L S Symington ◽  
T D Petes

To examine the relationship between genetic and physical chromosome maps, we constructed a diploid strain of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae heterozygous for 12 restriction site mutations within a 23-kilobase (5-centimorgan) interval of chromosome III. Crossovers were not uniformly distributed along the chromosome, one interval containing significantly more and one interval significantly fewer crossovers than expected. One-third of these crossovers occurred within 6 kilobases of the centromere. Approximately half of the exchanges were associated with gene conversion events. The minimum length of gene conversion tracts varied from 4 base pairs to more than 12 kilobases, and these tracts were nonuniformly distributed along the chromosome. We conclude that the chromosomal sequence or structure has a dramatic effect on meiotic recombination.


1985 ◽  
Vol 5 (8) ◽  
pp. 2154-2158
Author(s):  
B Weiffenbach ◽  
J E Haber

Homothallic switching of the mating type genes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae occurs by a gene conversion event, replacing sequences at the expressed MAT locus with a DNA segment copied from one of two unexpressed loci, HML or HMR. The transposed Ya or Y alpha sequences are flanked by homologous regions that are believed to be essential for switching. We examined the transposition of a mating type gene (hmr alpha 1-delta 6) which contains a 150-base-pair deletion spanning the site where the HO endonuclease generates a double-stranded break in MAT that initiates the gene conversion event. Despite the fact that the ends of the cut MAT region no longer share homology with the donor hmr alpha 1-delta 6, switching of MATa or MAT alpha to mat alpha 1-delta 6 was efficient. However, there was a marked increase in the number of aberrant events, especially the formation of haploid-inviable fusions between MAT and the hmr alpha 1-delta 6 donor locus.


1988 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 2442-2448 ◽  
Author(s):  
B Y Ahn ◽  
K J Dornfeld ◽  
T J Fagrelius ◽  
D M Livingston

Plasmids containing heteroallelic copies of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae HIS3 gene undergo intramolecular gene conversion in mitotically dividing S. cerevisiae cells. We have used this plasmid system to determine the minimum amount of homology required for gene conversion, to examine how conversion tract lengths are affected by limited homology, and to analyze the role of flanking DNA sequences on the pattern of exchange. Plasmids with homologous sequences greater than 2 kilobases have mitotic exchange rates as high as 2 x 10(-3) events per cell per generation. As the homology is reduced, the exchange rate decreases dramatically. A plasmid with 26 base pairs (bp) of homology undergoes gene conversion at a rate of approximately 1 x 10(-10) events per cell per generation. These studies have also shown that an 8-bp insertion mutation 13 bp from a border between homologous and nonhomologous sequences undergoes conversion, but that a similar 8-bp insertion 5 bp from a border does not. Examination of independent conversion events which occurred in plasmids with heteroallelic copies of the HIS3 gene shows that markers within 280 bp of a border between homologous and nonhomologous sequences undergo conversion less frequently than the same markers within a more extensive homologous sequence. Thus, proximity to a border between homologous and nonhomologous sequences shortens the conversion tract length.


Genetics ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 148 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-70
Author(s):  
Yi-shin Weng ◽  
Jac A Nickoloff

Abstract Double-strand break (DSB) induced gene conversion in Saccharomyces cerevisiae during meiosis and MAT switching is mediated primarily by mismatch repair of heteroduplex DNA (hDNA). We used nontandem ura3 duplications containing palindromic frameshift insertion mutations near an HO nuclease recognition site to test whether mismatch repair also mediates DSB-induced mitotic gene conversion at a non-MAT locus. Palindromic insertions included in hDNA are expected to produce a stem-loop mismatch, escape repair, and segregate to produce a sectored (Ura+/−) colony. If conversion occurs by gap repair, the insertion should be removed on both strands, and converted colonies will not be sectored. For both a 14-bp palindrome, and a 37-bp near-palindrome, ~75% of recombinant colonies were sectored, indicating that most DSB-induced mitotic gene conversion involves mismatch repair of hDNA. We also investigated mismatch repair of well-repaired markers flanking an unrepaired palindrome. As seen in previous studies, these additional markers increased loop repair (likely reflecting corepair). Among sectored products, few had additional segregating markers, indicating that the lack of repair at one marker is not associated with inefficient repair at nearby markers. Clear evidence was obtained for low levels of short tract mismatch repair. As seen with full gene conversions, donor alleles in sectored products were not altered. Markers on the same side of the DSB as the palindrome were involved in hDNA less often among sectored products than nonsectored products, but markers on the opposite side of the DSB showed similar hDNA involvement among both product classes. These results can be explained in terms of corepair, and they suggest that mismatch repair on opposite sides of a DSB involves distinct repair tracts.


1985 ◽  
Vol 5 (12) ◽  
pp. 3545-3551 ◽  
Author(s):  
J B McNeil ◽  
M Smith

Expression of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae CYC1 gene produces mRNA with more than 20 different 5' ends. A derivative of the CYC1 gene (CYC1-157) was constructed with a deletion of a portion of the CYC1 5'-noncoding region, which includes the sites at which many of the CYC1 mRNAs 5' ends map. A 54-mer double-stranded oligonucleotide homologous with the deleted sequence of CYC1-157 and which included a low level of random base pair mismatches (an average of two mismatches per duplex) was used to construct mutants of the CYC1 gene and examine the role of the DNA sequence at and immediately adjacent to the mRNA 5' ends in specifying their locations. The effect of these mutations on the site selection of mRNA 5' ends was examined by primer extension. Results indicate that there is a strong preference for 5' ends which align with an A residue (T in the template DNA strand) preceded by a short tract of pyrimidine residues.


1988 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 595-604 ◽  
Author(s):  
L S Symington ◽  
T D Petes

To examine the relationship between genetic and physical chromosome maps, we constructed a diploid strain of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae heterozygous for 12 restriction site mutations within a 23-kilobase (5-centimorgan) interval of chromosome III. Crossovers were not uniformly distributed along the chromosome, one interval containing significantly more and one interval significantly fewer crossovers than expected. One-third of these crossovers occurred within 6 kilobases of the centromere. Approximately half of the exchanges were associated with gene conversion events. The minimum length of gene conversion tracts varied from 4 base pairs to more than 12 kilobases, and these tracts were nonuniformly distributed along the chromosome. We conclude that the chromosomal sequence or structure has a dramatic effect on meiotic recombination.


1985 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 787-796 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Kurjan

The role of alpha-factor structural genes MF alpha 1 and MF alpha 2 in alpha-factor production and mating has been investigated by the construction of mf alpha 1 and mf alpha 2 mutations that totally eliminate gene function. An mf alpha 1 mutant in which the entire coding region is deleted shows a considerable decrease in alpha-factor production and a 75% decrease in mating. Mutations in mf alpha 2 have little or no effect on alpha-factor production or mating. The mf alpha 1 mf alpha 2 double mutants are completely defective in mating and alpha-factor production. These results indicate that at least one alpha-factor structural gene product is required for mating in MAT alpha cells, that MF alpha 1 is responsible for the majority of alpha-factor production, and that MF alpha 1 and MF alpha 2 are the only active alpha-factor genes.


1985 ◽  
Vol 5 (8) ◽  
pp. 2154-2158 ◽  
Author(s):  
B Weiffenbach ◽  
J E Haber

Homothallic switching of the mating type genes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae occurs by a gene conversion event, replacing sequences at the expressed MAT locus with a DNA segment copied from one of two unexpressed loci, HML or HMR. The transposed Ya or Y alpha sequences are flanked by homologous regions that are believed to be essential for switching. We examined the transposition of a mating type gene (hmr alpha 1-delta 6) which contains a 150-base-pair deletion spanning the site where the HO endonuclease generates a double-stranded break in MAT that initiates the gene conversion event. Despite the fact that the ends of the cut MAT region no longer share homology with the donor hmr alpha 1-delta 6, switching of MATa or MAT alpha to mat alpha 1-delta 6 was efficient. However, there was a marked increase in the number of aberrant events, especially the formation of haploid-inviable fusions between MAT and the hmr alpha 1-delta 6 donor locus.


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