Fine-structure mapping of meiosis-specific double-strand DNA breaks at a recombination hotspot associated with an insertion of telomeric sequences upstream of the HIS4 locus in yeast.

Meiotic recombination in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is initiated by double-strand DNA breaks (DSBs). Using two approaches, we mapped the position of DSBs associated with a recombination hotspot created by insertion of telomeric sequences into the region upstream of HIS4. We found that the breaks have no obvious sequence specificity and localize to a region of approximately 50 bp adjacent to the telomeric insertion. By mapping the breaks and by studies of the exonuclease III sensitivity of the broken ends, we conclude that most of the broken DNA molecules have blunt ends with 3'-hydroxyl groups.