title: Mutations in XRS2 and RAD50 delay but do not prevent mating-type switching in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
abstract: In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a large number of genes in the RAD52 epistasis group has been implicated in the repair of chromosomal double-strand breaks and in both mitotic and meiotic homologous recombination. While most of these genes are essential for yeast mating-type (MAT) gene switching, neither RAD50 nor XRS2 is required to complete this specialized mitotic gene conversion process. Using a galactose-inducible HO endonuclease gene to initiate MAT switching, we have examined the effect of null mutations of RAD50 and of XRS2 on intermediate steps of this recombination event. Both rad50 and xrs2 mutants exhibit a marked delay in the completion of switching. Both mutations reduce the extent of 5'-to-3' degradation from the end of the HO-created double-strand break. The steps of initial strand invasion and new DNA synthesis are delayed by approximately 30 min in mutant cells. However, later events are still further delayed, suggesting that XRS2 and RAD50 affect more than one step in the process. In the rad50 xrs2 double mutant, the completion of MAT switching is delayed more than in either single mutant, without reducing the overall efficiency of the process. The XRS2 gene encodes an 854-amino-acid protein with no obvious similarity to the Rad50 protein or to any other protein in the database. Overexpression of RAD50 does not complement the defects in xrs2 or vice versa.
authors.affiliation: Rosenstiel Basic Medical Sciences Research Center, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts 02254-9110.
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Ivanov
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sugawara
authors.forename: C I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fabre
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Haber
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D017931:DNA Primers; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D015252:Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D004790:Enzyme Induction; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D049770:Genes, Mating Type, Fungal; D005838:Genotype; D007700:Kinetics; D008741:Methyl Methanesulfonate / Q000633:toxicity; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016296:Mutagenesis; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D017354:Point Mutation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004271:DNA, Fungal; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D005656:Fungal Proteins; C086930:RAD50 protein, S cerevisiae; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; C086929:XRS2 protein, S cerevisiae; D008741:Methyl Methanesulfonate; C530845:HO protein, S cerevisiae; C037725:SCEI protein, S cerevisiae; D015252:Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific