The RAD16 gene product has been shown to be essential for the repair o
f the silenced mating type loci [Bang et al. (1992) Nucleic Acids Res.
20, 3925-3931]. More recently we demonstrated that the RAD16 and RAD7
proteins are also required for repair of non-transcribed strands of a
ctive genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae [Waters et al. (1993) Mel. Gen
. Genet 239, 28-32], We have studied the regulation of the RAD16 gene
and found that the RAD16 transcript levels increased up to 7-fold upon
UV irradiation. Heat shock at 42 degrees C also results in elevated l
evels of RAD16 mRNA. in sporulating MAT alpha/MATa diploid cells RAD16
mRNA is also induced. The basal level of the RAD16 transcript is cons
tant during the mitotic cell cycle. G1-arrested cells show normal indu
ction of RAD16 mRNA upon UV irradiation demonstrating that the inducti
on is not a secondary consequence of G2 cell cycle arrest following UV
irradiation. However, in cells arrested in G1 the induction of RAD16
mRNA after UV irradiation is not followed by a rapid decline as occurs
in normal growing cells suggesting that the down regulation of RAD16
transcription is dependent on progression into the cell cycle.