Using Schizosaccharomyces pombe meiosis to analyze DNA recombination intermediates.
The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe has many biological characteristics that make it an ideal model organism for the study of meiosis. A nearly synchronous meiosis is one of the most important. Under certain environmental and genetic conditions, large cultures of S. pombe can be induced to undergo meiosis in a timely and predictable manner that allows for changes in the DNA to be observed and analyzed by gel electrophoresis. Initiation of meiotic recombination via programmed DNA double-strand breaks, the formation of joint molecule recombination intermediates, and the resolution of these intermediates into crossover DNA products can all be seen with consistent timing during the progression of a synchronous meiotic induction. The timing of recombination events, the genetic requirements for the formation and disappearance of recombination intermediates, and the analysis of the DNA structures of those intermediates allow a comparison of meiotic recombination in fission yeast with that in the only other species similarly studied, the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Hyppa
Randy W
RW
Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.
Smith
Gerald R
GR
D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel / Q000379:methods; D008540:Meiosis / Q000235:genetics*; D008954:Models, Biological; D011995:Recombination, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D012568:Schizosaccharomyces / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development
D004271:DNA, Fungal