recurrent NAHR in budding yeast

We developed a diploid experimental system in budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) to study de novo recurrent non-allelic homologous recombination (NAHR) occurring during meiosis. These chromosomal rearrangements occur between low copy repeat (LCR) elements, resulting in a copy number variation (CNV) of the region between the LCRs. To study the mechanisms that affect the rate of meiotic NAHR, we engineered the right arm of chromosome V to include a copy number reporter in the interstitial space between LCRs and varied the size of LCRs and interstitial distance between LCRs. Our experimental system in yeast mimics the meiotic substrates that underlie de novo recurrent CNVs in humans, so it can be used as a tool to characterize the genetic and environmental factors that modulate meiotic NAHR which can result in certain human diseases like autism.