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Fission yeast switches mating type by a replication–recombination coupled process
Author(s) -
Arcangioli Benoit,
de Lahondès Raynald
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
the embo journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 7.484
H-Index - 392
eISSN - 1460-2075
pISSN - 0261-4189
DOI - 10.1093/emboj/19.6.1389
Subject(s) - biology , schizosaccharomyces pombe , mating type , mating of yeast , genetics , sister chromatids , dna replication , schizosaccharomyces , recombination , dna , genetic recombination , locus (genetics) , mating , microbiology and biotechnology , saccharomyces cerevisiae , yeast , gene , chromosome
Fission yeast exhibits a homothallic life cycle, in which the mating type of the cell mitotically alternates in a highly regulated fashion. Pedigree analysis of dividing cells has shown that only one of the two sister cells switches mating type. It was shown recently that a site‐ and strand‐specific DNA modification at the mat1 locus precedes mating‐type switching. By tracking the fate of mat1 DNA throughout the cell cycle with a PCR assay, we identified a novel DNA intermediate of mating‐type switching in S‐phase. The time and rate of appearance and disappearance of this DNA intermediate are consistent with a model in which mating‐type switching occurs through a replication–recombination coupled pathway. Such a process provides experimental evidence in support of a copy choice recombination model in Schizosaccharomyces pombe mating‐type switching and is reminiscent of the sister chromatid recombination used to complete replication in the presence of certain types of DNA damage.