QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

Vol. 15, Issue 1, 71-80, January 2004

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: E03-08-0586v1 15/1/71    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Coulon, S. Articles by Russell, P. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Coulon, S. Articles by Russell, P.

Slx1-Slx4 Are Subunits of a Structure-specific Endonuclease That Maintains Ribosomal DNA in Fission Yeast

Stéphane Coulon ^* , Pierre-Henri L. Gaillard ^* , Charly Chahwan ^*, William Hayes McDonald , John R. Yates, III , and Paul Russell ^*  

^* Department of Molecular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037; Department of Cell Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037

Submitted August 13, 2003; Revised September 5, 2003; Accepted September 6, 2003
Monitoring Editor: Trisha Davis

In most eukaryotes, genes encoding ribosomal RNAs (rDNA) are clustered in long tandem head-to-tail repeats. Studies of Saccharomyces cerevisiae have indicated that rDNA copy number is maintained through recombination events associated with site-specific blockage of replication forks (RFs). Here, we describe two Schizosaccharomyces pombe proteins, homologs of S. cerevisiae Slx1 and Slx4, as subunits of a novel type of endonuclease that maintains rDNA copy number. The Slx1-Slx4–dependent endonuclease introduces single-strand cuts in duplex DNA on the 3' side of junctions with single-strand DNA. Deletion of Slx1 or Rqh1 RecQ-like DNA helicase provokes rDNA contraction, whereas simultaneous elimination of Slx1-Slx4 endonuclease and Rqh1 is lethal. Slx1 associates with chromatin at two foci characteristic of the two rDNA repeat loci in S. pombe. We propose a model in which the Slx1–Slx4 complex is involved in the control of the expansion and contraction of the rDNA loci by initiating recombination events at stalled RFs.

These authors contributed equally to this work.

Corresponding author. E-mail address: prussell{at}scripps.edu.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				T. M. Roberts, I. W. Zaidi, J. A. Vaisica, M. Peter, and G. W. Brown Regulation of Rtt107 Recruitment to Stalled DNA Replication Forks by the Cullin Rtt101 and the Rtt109 Acetyltransferase Mol. Biol. Cell, January 1, 2008; 19(1): 171 - 180. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Flott, C. Alabert, G. W. Toh, R. Toth, N. Sugawara, D. G. Campbell, J. E. Haber, P. Pasero, and J. Rouse Phosphorylation of Slx4 by Mec1 and Tel1 Regulates the Single-Strand Annealing Mode of DNA Repair in Budding Yeast Mol. Cell. Biol., September 15, 2007; 27(18): 6433 - 6445. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. L. Dovey and P. Russell Mms22 Preserves Genomic Integrity During DNA Replication in Schizosaccharomyces pombe Genetics, September 1, 2007; 177(1): 47 - 61. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. Fersht, D. Hermand, J. Hayles, and P. Nurse Cdc18/CDC6 activates the Rad3-dependent checkpoint in the fission yeast Nucleic Acids Res., August 13, 2007; 35(16): 5323 - 5337. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. McVey, S. L. Andersen, Y. Broze, and J. Sekelsky Multiple Functions of Drosophila BLM Helicase in Maintenance of Genome Stability Genetics, August 1, 2007; 176(4): 1979 - 1992. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. E. Kearsey, A. L. Stevenson, T. Toda, and S.-W. Wang Fission Yeast Cut8 Is Required for the Repair of DNA Double-Strand Breaks, Ribosomal DNA Maintenance, and Cell Survival in the Absence of Rqh1 Helicase Mol. Cell. Biol., March 1, 2007; 27(5): 1558 - 1567. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. A. Cobb and L. Bjergbaek RecQ helicases: lessons from model organisms Nucleic Acids Res., September 10, 2006; 34(15): 4106 - 4114. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Coulon, E. Noguchi, C. Noguchi, L.-L. Du, T. M. Nakamura, and P. Russell Rad22Rad52-dependent Repair of Ribosomal DNA Repeats Cleaved by Slx1-Slx4 Endonuclease Mol. Biol. Cell, April 1, 2006; 17(4): 2081 - 2090. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. M. Roberts, M. S. Kobor, S. A. Bastin-Shanower, M. Ii, S. A. Horte, J. W. Gin, A. Emili, J. Rine, S. J. Brill, and G. W. Brown Slx4 Regulates DNA Damage Checkpoint-dependent Phosphorylation of the BRCT Domain Protein Rtt107/Esc4 Mol. Biol. Cell, January 1, 2006; 17(1): 539 - 548. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Z. Win, H. W. Mankouri, I. D. Hickson, and S.-W. Wang A role for the fission yeast Rqh1 helicase in chromosome segregation J. Cell Sci., December 15, 2005; 118(24): 5777 - 5784. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. M. Sheedy, D. Dimitrova, J. K. Rankin, K. L. Bass, K. M. Lee, C. Tapia-Alveal, S. H. Harvey, J. M. Murray, and M. J. O'Connell Brc1-Mediated DNA Repair and Damage Tolerance Genetics, October 1, 2005; 171(2): 457 - 468. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Z. Win, A. Goodwin, I. D. Hickson, C. J. Norbury, and S.-W. Wang Requirement for Schizosaccharomyces pombe Top3 in the maintenance of chromosome integrity J. Cell Sci., September 15, 2004; 117(20): 4769 - 4778. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]