Homologous recombination is associated with the dynamic assembly and disassembly of DNA-protein complexes. Assembly of a nucleoprotein filament comprising ssDNA and the RecA homolog, Rad51, is a key step required for homology search during recombination. The budding yeast Srs2 DNA translocase is known to dismantle Rad51 filament in vitro. However, there is limited evidence to support the dismantling activity of Srs2 in vivo. Here, we show that Srs2 indeed disrupts Rad51-containing complexes from chromosomes during meiosis. Overexpression of Srs2 during the meiotic prophase impairs meiotic recombination and removes Rad51 from meiotic chromosomes. This dismantling activity is specific for Rad51, as Srs2 Overexpression does not remove Dmc1 (a meiosis-specific Rad51 homolog), Rad52 (a Rad51 mediator), or replication protein A (RPA; a single-stranded DNA-binding protein). Rather, RPA replaces Rad51 under these conditions. A mutant Srs2 lacking helicase activity cannot remove Rad51 from meiotic chromosomes. Interestingly, the Rad51-binding domain of Srs2, which is critical for Rad51-dismantling activity in vitro, is not essential for this activity in vivo. Our results suggest that a precise level of Srs2, in the form of the Srs2 translocase, is required to appropriately regulate the Rad51 nucleoprotein filament dynamics during meiosis.
RECOMBINATION between homologous sequences promotes genomic stability. As such, a wide variety of DNAassociated proteins and protein complexes regulate the recombination process. Within chromatin, the chromosome structure probably also directly affects the assembly and disassembly of protein complexes involved in recombination. To understand the molecular mechanisms that govern assembly and disassembly of these complexes, homologous recombination during meiosis can be used as a model system.Meiotic recombination is initiated when Spo11, a meiosisspecific topoisomerase-like protein, generates double-strand breaks (DSBs) (Keeney 2001). The 59 ends of these DSBs are quickly resected to produce a 39-overhanging stretch of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). The ssDNA is used to search for homologous double-stranded DNAs (dsDNAs). Once homology between the ss-and dsDNAs are matched, the ssDNA is invaded into the dsDNA. Strand invasion leads to DNA synthesis with the 39 end of the invading strand as the primer. The resulting intermediate is then converted into the singleinvasion intermediate (SEI) and then a DNA structure with double Holiday junctions (dHJ) (Schwacha and Kleckner 1994;Hunter and Kleckner 2001). Resolution of dHJ structures typically results in chromosomal crossover (CO) (Allers and Lichten 2001;Hunter and Kleckner 2001). Alternatively, newly synthesized DNA of the invading strand after the displacement can anneal with ssDNA from the other end of the DSB, which results in the formation of a noncrossover (NCO) product (through the synthesis-dependent strand-annealing pathway). In meiosis, the recombination occurs preferentially between homologous chromosomes rather than betw...