Modulating and Targeting Meiotic Double-Strand Breaks in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Meiotic recombination is initiated by DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) formed by the evolutionary conserved Spo11 protein. Along the S. cerevisiae chromosomes, the DSB sites are not evenly distributed and the cleavage frequencies vary 10–100-fold from site to site. Herein are reviewed the methods used in budding yeast to modulate locally and globally the native DSB frequencies, including a powerful method to target Spo11-dependent meiotic DSB in novel chromosomal regions. These methods serve to investigate the control and the mechanism of recombination initiation and modify the natural distribution of meiotic recombination.