GENE INACTIVATION TRIGGERED BY RECOGNITION BETWEEN DNA REPEATS

This chapter focuses on phenomena of gene inactivation resulting from the presence of repeated gene copies within the genome of plants and f ungi, and on their possible relationships to homologous DNA-DNA intera ctions. Emphasis is given to two related premeiotic processes: Methyla tion Induced Premeiotically (MIP) and Repeat-Induced Point mutation (R IP) which take place in the fungi Ascobolus immersus and Neurospora cr assa, respectively. The relationships between these processes and gene tic recombination are discussed.