Reference - PMID:10716938 - Fission yeast switches mating type by a replication-recombination coupled process.
Reference summary
- PubMed ID
- PMID:10716938
- Title
- Fission yeast switches mating type by a replication-recombination coupled process.
- Authors
- Arcangioli B, de Lahondès R
- Citation
- EMBO J 2000 Mar 15;19(6):1389-96
- Publication year
- 2000
- Abstract
- 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.
