TY - JOUR

T1 - The msh2 gene of Schizosaccharomyces pombe is involved in mismatch repair, mating-type switching, and meiotic chromosome organization

AU - Rudolph, C.

AU - Kunz, C.

AU - Parisi, S.

AU - Lehmann, E.

AU - Hartsuiker, E

AU - Fartmann, B.

AU - Kramer, W

AU - Kohli, J.

AU - Fleck, O.

PY - 1999/1

Y1 - 1999/1

N2 - We have identified in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe a MutS homolog that shows highest homology to the Msh2 subgroup. msh2 disruption gives rise to increased mitotic mutation rates and increased levels of postmeiotic segregation of genetic markers. In bandshift assays performed with msh2Delta cell extracts, a general mismatch-binding activity is absent. By complementation assays, we showed that S. pombe msh2 is allelic with the previously identified swi8 and mut3 genes, which are involved in mating-type switching. The swi8-137 mutant has a mutation in the msh2 gene which causes a truncated Msh2 peptide lacking a putative DNA-binding domain. Cytological analysis revealed that during meiotic prophase of msh2-defective cells, chromosomal structures were frequently formed; such structures are rarely found in the wild type. Our data show that besides having a function in mismatch repair, S. pombe msh2 is required for correct termination of copy synthesis during mating-type switching as well as for proper organization of chromosomes during meiosis.

AB - We have identified in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe a MutS homolog that shows highest homology to the Msh2 subgroup. msh2 disruption gives rise to increased mitotic mutation rates and increased levels of postmeiotic segregation of genetic markers. In bandshift assays performed with msh2Delta cell extracts, a general mismatch-binding activity is absent. By complementation assays, we showed that S. pombe msh2 is allelic with the previously identified swi8 and mut3 genes, which are involved in mating-type switching. The swi8-137 mutant has a mutation in the msh2 gene which causes a truncated Msh2 peptide lacking a putative DNA-binding domain. Cytological analysis revealed that during meiotic prophase of msh2-defective cells, chromosomal structures were frequently formed; such structures are rarely found in the wild type. Our data show that besides having a function in mismatch repair, S. pombe msh2 is required for correct termination of copy synthesis during mating-type switching as well as for proper organization of chromosomes during meiosis.

KW - Alleles

KW - Base Pair Mismatch

KW - Base Sequence

KW - Chromosomes, Fungal

KW - Cloning, Molecular

KW - DNA Repair

KW - DNA, Fungal

KW - DNA-Binding Proteins

KW - Fungal Proteins

KW - Genes, Fungal

KW - Genes, Mating Type, Fungal

KW - Meiosis

KW - Mitosis

KW - Molecular Sequence Data

KW - MutS Homolog 2 Protein

KW - Nucleic Acid Conformation

KW - Prophase

KW - Schizosaccharomyces

KW - Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins

KW - Spores, Fungal

KW - Journal Article

KW - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

M3 - Article

C2 - 9858548

VL - 19

SP - 241

EP - 250

JO - Molecular and Cellular Biology

JF - Molecular and Cellular Biology

SN - 0270-7306

IS - 1

ER -