VDE-initiated intein homing in XXXX proceeds in a meiotic recombination-like manner.

@entity29816 @entity42182 @entity18570 @entity6724 @entity11023 @entity42183 @entity41892 @entity16794 @entity72920 @entity1862 @entity12248 @entity374 @entity375
BACKGROUND: Inteins and group I introns found in prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms occasionally behave as mobile genetic elements. During meiosis of the @entity375 @entity375 , the site-specific endonuclease encoded by @entity16794 intein, VDE, triggers a single @entity6724 ( @entity6724 ) at an inteinless allele, leading to @entity16794 intein homing. Besides the accumulating information on the in vitro activity of VDE, very little has been known about the molecular mechanism of intein homing in @entity375 nucleus. RESULTS: We developed an assay to detect the product of @entity16794 intein homing in @entity375 genome. We analysed mutant phenotypes of RecA homologs, @entity11023 and @entity18570 , and their interacting proteins, @entity29816 and @entity72920 , and found that they all play critical roles in intein inheritance. The absence of @entity6724 end processing proteins, @entity41892 and those in the @entity42182 - @entity12248 - @entity42183 complex, also causes partial reduction in homing efficiency. As with meiotic recombination, crossover events are frequently observed during intein homing. We also observed that the absence of premeiotic DNA replication caused by @entity1862 (HU) or clb5delta clb6delta mutation reduces VDE-mediated DSBs. CONCLUSION: The repairing system working in intein homing shares molecular machinery with meiotic recombination induced by @entity374 . Moreover, like @entity374 -induced DNA cleavage, premeiotic DNA replication is a prerequisite for a VDE-induced @entity6724 . @entity16794 intein thus utilizes several host factors involved in meiotic and recombinational processes to spread its genetic information and guarantee its progeny through establishment of a parasitic relationship with the organism.
