Maximal stimulation of meiotic recombination by a yeast transcription factor requires the transcription activation domain and a DNA-binding domain

The DNA sequences located upstream of the yeast HIS4 represent a very stron g meiotic recombination hotspot. Although the activity of this hotspot requ ires the transcription activator Rap1p, the level of HIS4 transcription is not directly related to the level of recombination. We find that the recomb ination-stimulating activity of Rap1p requires the transcription activation domain of the protein. We show that a hybrid protein with the Ga14p DNA-bi nding domain and the Rap1p activation domain can stimulate recombination in a strain in which Ga14p-binding sites are inserted upstream of HIS4. In ad dition, we find recombination hotspot activity associated xith the Ga14p DN A-binding sites that is independent of known transcription factors. We sugg est that yeast cells have two types of recombination hotspots, alpha (trans cription factor dependent) and beta (transcription factor independent).