Generation and Analysis of dsDNA Breaks for Checkpoint and Repair Studies in Fission Yeast.

Damage to DNA elicits both checkpoint and repair responses. These are complex events that involve many genes whose products assemble at lesions and form signaling cascades to recruit additional factors and regulate the cell cycle. The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe has proven to be an excellent model to study these events, and has led gene and pathway discovery efforts. Recent progress has involved a more detailed analysis of the earliest events at lesions, particularly double-stranded DNA breaks (DSBs). Here we describe several methods for the analysis of events at DSBs, both on the DNA and the recruitment of proteins to these lesions, using S. pombe as a model. However, each of these methods is easily applicable to any experimental system with minor modifications to the protocols.