Breakage--reunion and Copy Choice Mechanisms of Recombination Between Short Homologous Sequences

Overview

Journal EMBO J

Specialties Biotechnology
Molecular Biology

Date 1989 Oct 1

PMID 2684636

Citations 5

Authors

D Brunier

B P Peeters

S Bron

S D Ehrlich

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

To study recombination between short homologous sequences in Escherichia coli we constructed plasmids composed of the pBR322 replicon, M13 replication origin and a recombination unit inserted within and inactivating a gene encoding chloramphenicol resistance. The unit was composed of short direct repeats (9, 18 or 27 bp) which flanked inverted repeats (0, 8 or 308 bp) and a gene encoding kanamycin resistance. Recombination between direct repeats restored a functional chloramphenicol resistance gene, and could be detected by a simple phenotype test. The plasmids replicated in a double-stranded form, using the pBR322 replicon, and generated single-stranded DNA when the M13 replication origin was activated. The frequency of chloramphenicol-resistant cells was low (10(-8)-10(-4] when no single-stranded DNA was synthesized but increased greatly (to 100%) after induction of single-stranded DNA synthesis. Recombination between 9 bp direct repeats entailed no transfer of DNA from parental to recombinant plasmids, whereas recombination between 18 or 27 bp repeats entailed massive transfer. The presence or length of inverted repeats did not alter the pattern of DNA transfer. From these results we propose that direct repeats of 9 bp recombine by a copy choice process, while those greater than or equal to 18 bp can recombine by a breakage-reunion process. Genome rearrangements detected in many organisms often occur by recombination between sequences less than 18 bp, which suggests that they may result from copy choice recombination.

Citing Articles

Spiroplasma citri virus SpV1-derived cloning vector: deletion formation by illegitimate and homologous recombination in a spiroplasmal host strain which probably lacks a functional recA gene.

Marais A, Bove J, Renaudin J J Bacteriol. 1996; 178(3):862-70.

PMID: 8550524 PMC: 177736. DOI: 10.1128/jb.178.3.862-870.1996.

Formation of large deletions by illegitimate recombination in the HPRT gene of primary human fibroblasts.

Morris T, Thacker J Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1993; 90(4):1392-6.

PMID: 8433997 PMC: 45879. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.90.4.1392.

Breakage--reunion and copy choice mechanisms of recombination between short homologous sequences.

Peeters B, Bron S, Ehrlich S EMBO J. 1990; 9(9):3023.

PMID: 2203648 PMC: 552022. DOI: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1990.tb07496.x.

Spontaneous deletion formation within the beta-galactosidase gene of Lactobacillus bulgaricus.

Mollet B, Delley M J Bacteriol. 1990; 172(10):5670-6.

PMID: 2120187 PMC: 526881. DOI: 10.1128/jb.172.10.5670-5676.1990.

Molecular mechanisms of deletion formation in Escherichia coli plasmids. I. Deletion formation mediated by long direct repeats.

Dianov G, Kuzminov A, Mazin A, Salganik R Mol Gen Genet. 1991; 228(1-2):153-9.

PMID: 1679524 DOI: 10.1007/BF00282460.

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