REGULATION OF THE YEAST RAD2 GENE - DNA DAMAGE-DEPENDENT INDUCTION CORRELATES WITH PROTEIN-BINDING TO REGULATORY SEQUENCES AND THEIR DELETION INFLUENCES SURVIVAL

In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae the RAD2 gene is absolutely requ ired for damage-specific incision of DNA during nucleotide excision re pair and is inducible by DNA-damaging agents. In the present study we correlated sensitivity to killing by DNA-damaging agents with the dele tion of previously defined specific promoter elements. Deletion of the element DRE2 increased the UV sensitivity of cells in both the G1/ear ly S and S/G2 phases of the cell cycle as well as in stationary phase. On the other hand, increased UV sensitivity associated with deletion of the sequence-related element DRE1 was restricted to cells irradiate d in G1/S. Specific binding of protein(s) to the promoter elements DRE 1 and DRE2 was observed under non-inducing conditions using gel retard ation assays. Exposure of cells to DNA-damaging agents resulted in inc reased protein binding that was dependent on de novo protein synthesis .