Genetics, Vol. 168, 1805-1816, December 2004, Copyright © 2004
doi:10.1534/genetics.104.032912

Competing Crossover Pathways Act During Meiosis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853

1 Corresponding author: Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, 459 Biotechnology Bldg., Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-2703.
E-mail: eea3{at}cornell.edu

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae the MSH4-MSH5, MLH1-MLH3, and MUS81-MMS4 complexes act to promote crossing over during meiosis. MSH4-MSH5, but not MUS81-MMS4, promotes crossovers that display interference. A role for MLH1-MLH3 in crossover control is less clear partly because mlh1{Delta} mutants retain crossover interference yet display a decrease in crossing over that is only slightly less severe than that seen in msh4{Delta} and msh5{Delta} mutants. We analyzed the effects of msh5{Delta}, mlh1{Delta}, and mms4{Delta} single, double, and triple mutants on meiotic crossing over at four consecutive genetic intervals on chromosome XV using newly developed computer software. mlh1{Delta} mms4{Delta} double mutants displayed the largest decrease in crossing over (13- to 15-fold) of all mutant combinations, yet these strains displayed relatively high spore viability (42%). In contrast, msh5{Delta} mms4{Delta} and msh5{Delta} mms4{Delta} mlh1{Delta} mutants displayed smaller decreases in crossing over (4- to 6-fold); however, spore viability (18–19%) was lower in these strains than in mlh1{Delta} mms4{Delta} strains. These data suggest that meiotic crossing over can occur in yeast through three distinct crossover pathways. In one pathway, MUS81-MMS4 promotes interference-independent crossing over; in a second pathway, both MSH4-MSH5 and MLH1-MLH3 promote interference-dependent crossovers. A third pathway, which appears to be repressed by MSH4-MSH5, yields deleterious crossovers.




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