Genetics. Published Articles Ahead of Print: May 5, 2008, Copyright © 2008
doi:10.1534/genetics.107.076877


A more recent version of this article appeared on May 1, 2008.

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Genome Integrity Is Regulated by the C. elegans Rad51D homologue, rfs-1

Judith Yanowitz 1*

1 Carnegie Institution of Washington

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: yanowitz{at}ciwemb.edu.

Submitted on May 29, 2007
Revised on June 20, 2007
Accepted on 11 March 2008


Abstract

Multiple mechanisms ensure genome maintenance including DNA damage repair, suppression of transposition, and telomere length regulation. The mortal germ line (MRT) mutants in C. elegans are defective in maintaining genome integrity and result in a progressive loss of fertility over many generations. Here I show that the him-15 locus, defined by the deficiency eDf25, is allelic to rfs-1, the sole rad-51 paralog group member in C. elegans. The rfs-1/ eDf25 mutant displays a MRT phenotype and mutant animals exhibit features of chromosome fusions prior to the onset of sterility. Unlike other MRT genes, rfs-1 manifests fluctuations in telomere lengths and functions independently of telomerase. These data suggest that rfs-1 is a novel regulator of genome stability.

Key Words: C. elegans, genome integrity, mortal germ line, recombination, telomeres