Gene conversion and end-joining-repair double-strand breaks in the Caenorhabditis elegans germline.
Excision of a Mos1 transposon in the germline of Caenorhabditis elegans generates a double-strand break in the chromosome. We demonstrate that breaks are most prominently repaired by gene conversion from the homolog, but also rarely by nonhomologous end-joining. In some cases, gene conversion events are resolved by crossing over. Surprisingly, expression of the transposase using an intestine-specific promoter can induce repair, raising the possibility that activation of transposase expression in somatic cells can lead to transposition of Mos1 in the germline.
Robert
Valérie J
VJ
Ecole Normale Supérieure, Biologie Cellulaire de la Synapse, Paris, France.
Davis
M Wayne
MW
Jorgensen
Erik M
EM
Bessereau
Jean-Louis
JL