Homing of a DNA endonuclease gene by meiotic gene conversion in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Nature. 1992 May 28;357(6376):301-6. doi: 10.1038/357301a0.

Abstract

An unusual protein splicing reaction joins the N-terminal segment (A) and the C-terminal segment (C) of the 119K primary translation product (ABC) of the yeast VMA1 gene to yield a 69K vacuolar H(+)-ATPase subunit (AC) and an internal 50K polypeptide (B). This 50K protein is a site-specific DNA endonuclease that shares 34% identity with the homothallic switching endonuclease. The site cleaved by the VMA1-derived endonuclease exists in a VMA1 allele that lacks the derived endonuclease segment of the open reading frame. Cleavage at this site only occurs during meiosis and initiates 'homing', a genetic event that converts a VMA1 allele lacking the endonuclease coding sequence into one that contains it.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Alleles
  • Base Sequence
  • Chromosome Deletion
  • DNA, Fungal / chemistry
  • Deoxyribonuclease I / genetics*
  • Deoxyribonuclease I / metabolism
  • Escherichia coli / enzymology
  • Escherichia coli / genetics
  • Gene Conversion*
  • Genes, Fungal*
  • Intracellular Membranes / enzymology
  • Introns
  • Meiosis / genetics*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Plasmids
  • Proton-Translocating ATPases / genetics
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / genetics*
  • Spores, Fungal / physiology
  • Transformation, Bacterial
  • Vacuoles / enzymology

Substances

  • DNA, Fungal
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Deoxyribonuclease I
  • Proton-Translocating ATPases