Multiple tandem integrations of transforming DNA sequences in yeast chromosomes suggest a mechanism for integrative transformation by homologous recombination.

In yeast, the fate of linear DNA molecules upon transformation is determined by the existence of sequence homology between chromosomes and the ends of the transforming molecule. To understand the mechanism of integration of transforming DNA, we have studied the influence of DNA concentration on the frequency and type of transformants obtained, using either non-replicative or replicative plasmids. In both cases, increasing DNA concentration results in multiple tandem repeats integrated into the chromosome containing the homologous target sequence. When a diploid strain is transformed, multiple tandem repeats occur in only one of the two homologous chromosomes at a time. The frequency distribution of the different types of integrants observed indicates non-independent integration events likely to result from plasmid-plasmid interaction prior to chromosome integration. In addition, our results define the proper conditions for optimized gene targetting or gene rescue experiments.