Genomic instability induced by furfural-treated in S. cerevisiae [sectored colonies]

Furfural is a key inhibitor in S. cerevisiae fermentation causing serious economic loss. To disclose of the recombinational DNA lesions induced by furfural, we analyzed 19 JSC25-derived sectored colonies using chromosome IV SNP-specific microarrays. The parent diploid S. cerevisiae strain JSC25 (constructed by crossing two haploid strains isogenic W303-1A and YJM789) was homologous for ade2-1 alleles. One copy of gene SUP4-o, an ochre-suppressing tRNA, was inserted at the end of right arm of chromosome IV. Under normal conditions, the colony color of JSC25 is pink. A crossover event occurred on the right arm of chromosome IV at the first cell cycle would result in a white/red sectored colony on solid plate. By SNP microarrays specific for chromosome 4, we analyzed 19 sectored colonies induced by furfural to uncover the details of furfural-induced reciprocal crossover.