Preparation of Cell Cycle-Synchronized Saccharomyces cerevisiae Cells for Hi-C

The chromosome organization activities of SMC complexes are crucial for correct gene expression and genetic inheritance in cells. Hi-C assays have revealed previously unsuspected levels of chromosome structure, with different types of chromosome structure facilitating function at different stages of the cell cycle. Elucidating how SMC complexes regulate these distinct types of organization is currently a key question in molecular biology.The range of genetic tools and the small genome size of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae make it an ideal tool for studying how SMC complexes control chromosome structure in eukaryotic cells. A crucial advantage of S. cerevisiae over other systems is that large populations of cells can be easily arrested at distinct stages of the cell cycle and SMC gene function specifically ablated in the synchronized cells. Here we describe methods to prepare synchronously cell cycle-arrested populations of genetically modified S. cerevisiae cells for Hi-C analysis.