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Updated: May 13, 2026

Quantitation and Analysis of the Formation of HO-Endonuclease Stimulated Chromosomal Translocations by Single-Strand Annealing in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
09:40

Quantitation and Analysis of the Formation of HO-Endonuclease Stimulated Chromosomal Translocations by Single-Strand Annealing in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Published on: September 23, 2011

Double-strand breaks can initiate meiotic recombination in S. cerevisiae

A L Kolodkin, A J Klar, F W Stahl

    Cell
    |August 29, 1986
    PubMed

    Insights

    Double-strand breaks can initiate meiotic recombination in yeast. However, our study suggests these breaks do not typically initiate this crucial process during meiosis.

    Area of Science:

    • Molecular Biology
    • Genetics
    • Yeast Research

    Background:

    • Meiotic recombination is essential for genetic diversity.
    • Double-strand breaks are known to play a role in initiating recombination.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the role of double-strand breaks in initiating meiotic recombination in yeast.
    • To understand the consequences of induced double-strand breaks on recombination frequencies and gene conversion events.

    Main Methods:

    • Introduction of double-strand breaks at the MATa locus using HO endonuclease in yeast diploids.
    • Analysis of sporulation products (tetrads) to assess gene conversion and recombination frequencies.
    • Study of a heterozygous HIS4 locus with an HO endonuclease cut site to observe conversion events.

    Main Results:

    • Induced double-strand breaks at the MATa locus led to 4 alpha:0a conversion in 14% of tetrads.
    • Conversion events were associated with co-conversion of linked markers and increased flanking marker recombination.
    • Significant gene conversions favoring the HIS4+ allele were observed at the HIS4 locus upon induction.

    Conclusions:

    • Double-strand breaks can initiate meiotic recombination in yeast.
    • The data suggest that double-strand breaks are not the normal initiators of meiotic recombination in yeast.

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