Role of chromatin structure and histone modifications in the regulation of DNA repair by homologous recombination

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DNA damage can lead to the inactivation or misregulation of important genes and cause metabolic malfunction or cell death. Fortunately, cells possess DNA repair mechanisms that allow them to survive in the presence of DNA lesions. In order to fit in the tiny confines of the cell, DNA is packaged into a structure called chromatin. We are investigating how chromatin structure participates in the response to DNA damage. We propose to use yeast as a model organism to understand how variants of histone proteins, which are basic building blocks of chromatin, can influence DNA repair. We anticipate that a better understanding of these fundamental processes will unearth novel links between specific determinants of chromatin structure and the response to environmental DNA damaging agents. This research will thus improve our comprehension of how cells maintain the integrity of their genomes.