This project establishes yeast as a model system for investigating the mechanism by which chromosomal translocations and rearrangements occur. The role that cellular recombination and repair enzymes, chromatin structure, chromosome location, and environmental insults play in these events will be investigated using a highly sensitive genetic system to select and analyze these events. Long-term goals are to develop an understanding of the processes leading to chromosomal rearrangements and to develop tools that readily determine which environmental factors contribute to these events. This study may have an impact upon the determination of which pollutants contribute to this class of genetic disease. Findings may affect regulatory policy regarding these agents.
Build test strains for detection of gene activation by deletion and translocation.
Determine rates of translocation relative to other gene activation events. Sequence a sample of junction points. The first task was to build the tester strains to detect deletions and translocations. We successfully amplified by PCR and cloned the regions for chromosome 1 and 2. We were unable to obtain the clone for the chromosome 12 site.