The involvement of cellular recombination and repair genes in RNA-mediated recombination in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Genetics. 1998 Mar;148(3):937-45. doi: 10.1093/genetics/148.3.937.

Abstract

We previously demonstrated that a reverse transcript of a cellular reporter gene (his3-AI) can serve as the donor for gene conversion of a chromosomal his3-deltaMscI target sequence, and that this process requires the yeast recombination gene RAD52. In this study, we examine the involvement of other recombination and repair genes in RNA-mediated recombination, and gain insight into the nature of the recombination intermediate. We find that mutation of the mitotic RecA homologs RAD51, RAD55, and RAD57 increases the rate of RNA-mediated recombination relative to the wild type, and that these gene functions are not required for RNA-mediated gene conversion. Interestingly, RAD1 is required for RNA-mediated gene conversion of chromosomal his3-deltaMscI sequences, suggesting that the cDNA intermediate has a region of nonhomology that must be removed during recombination with target sequences. The observation that both RAD1 and RAD52 are required for RNA-mediated gene conversion of chromosomal but not plasmid sequences indicates a clear difference between these two pathways of homologous RNA-mediated recombination.

MeSH terms

  • DNA Repair Enzymes
  • DNA Repair*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • Endonucleases / genetics
  • Fungal Proteins / genetics
  • Genes, Fungal*
  • Hydro-Lyases / genetics
  • RNA, Fungal*
  • Rad52 DNA Repair and Recombination Protein
  • Recombination, Genetic*
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / genetics*
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Fungal Proteins
  • RAD52 protein, S cerevisiae
  • RNA, Fungal
  • Rad52 DNA Repair and Recombination Protein
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins
  • Endonucleases
  • RAD1 protein, S cerevisiae
  • Hydro-Lyases
  • imidazoleglycerolphosphate dehydratase
  • DNA Repair Enzymes