Bridge-building between mathematical theory and molecular biology: the REV2 gene as paradigm

Deletion of the SRS2 gene suppresses elevated recombination and DNA damage sensitivity in rad5 and rad18 mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae genes RAD5, RAD18, and SRS2 are proposed to act in post-replicational repair of DNA damage. We have investigated the genetic interactions between mutations in these genes with respect to cell survival and ectopic gene conversion following treatment of logarithmic and early stationary cells with UV- and gamma-rays. We find that the genetic interaction between the rad5 and rad18 mutations depends on DNA damage type and position in the cell cycle at the time of treatment. Inactivation of SRS2 suppresses damage sensitivity both in rad5 and rad18 mutants, but only when treated in logarithmic phase. When irradiated in stationary phase, the srs2 mutation enhances the sensitivity of rad5 mutants, whereas it has no effect on rad18 mutants. Irrespective of the growth phase, the srs2 mutation reduces the frequency of damage-induced ectopic gene conversion in rad5 and rad18 mutants. In addition, we find that srs2 mutants exhibit reduced spontaneous and UV-induced sister chromatid recombination (SCR), whereas rad5 and rad18 mutants are proficient for SCR. We propose a model in which the Srs2 protein has pro-recombinogenic or anti-recombinogenic activity, depending on the context of the DNA damage.

Genetic interactions between mutants of the 'error-prone' repair group of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and their effect on recombination and mutagenesis

We have created an isogenic series of yeast strains that carry genetic systems to monitor different types of recombination and mutation [B. Liefshitz, A. Parket, R. Maya, M. Kupiec, The role of DNA repair genes in recombination between repeated sequences in yeast, Genetics 140 (1995) 1199-1211.]. In the present study we characterize the effect of mutations in genes of the 'error-prone' or postreplicative repair group on recombination and mutation. We show that rad5 and rad18 strains have elevated levels of spontaneous recombination, both of ectopic gene conversion and of recombination between direct repeats. The increase in recombination levels is similar in both mutants and in the rad5 rad18 double mutant, suggesting that the RAD5 and RAD18 gene products act together with respect to spontaneous recombination. In contrast, RAD5 and RAD18 play alternative roles in mutagenic repair: mutations in each of these genes elevate spontaneous forward mutation at the CAN1 locus, but when both genes are deleted, a low level of spontaneous mutagenesis is seen. The RAD5/RAD18 pathway of mutagenic repair is dependent on the REV3-encoded translesion polymerase. We analyze the interactions between the RAD5 and RAD18 gene products and other repair genes. The high recombination levels seen in rad5 and rad18 mutants is dependent on the RAD1, RAD51, RAD52, and RAD57 genes. The Srs2 helicase plays an important role in creating the recombinogenic substrate(s) processed by the RAD5 and RAD18 gene products.

The RAD5 gene product is involved in the avoidance of non-homologous end-joining of DNA double strand breaks in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In wild-type yeast, the repair of a 169 bp double-strand gap induced by the restriction enzymes ApaI and NcoI in the URA3gene of the shuttle vector YpJA18 occurs with high fidelity according to the homologous chromosomal sequence. In contrast, only 25% of the cells of rad5-7 and rad5 Delta mutants perform correct gap repair. As has been proven by sequencing of the junction sites, the remaining cells recircularise the gapped plasmids by joining of the non-compatible, non-homologous ends. Thus, regarding the repair of DNA double-strand breaks, the rad5 mutants behave like mammalian cells rather than budding yeast. The majority of the end joined plasmids miss either one or both of the 3'and 5'protruding single-strands of the restriction ends completely and have undergone blunt-end ligation accompanied by fill-in DNA synthesis. These results imply an important role for the Rad5 protein (Rad5p) in the protection of protruding single-strand ends and for the avoidance of non-homologous end joining during repair of double-strand gaps in budding yeast. Alternatively, the Rad5p may be an accessory factor increasing the efficiency of homologous recombination in yeast, however, the molecular mechanism of Rad5p function requires further investigation.