A mutation of the yeast gene encoding PCNA destabilizes both microsatellite and minisatellite DNA sequences

Robert J. Kokoska, Lela Stefanovic, Andrew B. Buermeyer, R. Michael Liskay, Thomas D. Petes

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

44 Scopus citations

Abstract

The POL30 gene of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae encodes the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), a protein required for processive DNA synthesis by DNA polymerase δ and ε. We examined the effects of the pol30-52 mutation on the stability of microsatellite (1- to 8-bp repeat units) and minisatellite (20-bp repeat units) DNA sequences. It had previously been shown that this mutation destabilizes dinucleotide repeats 150-fold and that this effect is primarily due to defects in DNA mismatch repair. From our analysis of the effects of pol30-52 on classes of repetitive DNA with longer repeat unit lengths, we conclude that this mutation may also elevate the rate of DNA polymerase slippage. The effect of pol30-52 on tracts of repetitive DNA with large repeat unit lengths was similar, but not identical, to that observed previously for pol3-t, a temperature-sensitive mutation affecting DNA polymerase δ. Strains with both pol30-52 and pol3-t mutations grew extremely slowly and had minisatellite mutation rates considerably greater than those observed in either single mutant strain.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)511-519
Number of pages9
JournalGenetics
Volume151
Issue number2
StatePublished - Feb 1999

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Genetics

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