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Abstract
The Neurospora crassa H3K9 histone methyltransferase DIM-5 is required for heterochromatin formation, DNA methylation, and normal genome maintenance. Critical components of genome maintenance include DNA replication and repair, and cytological defects in these processes result in genome instability, a known hallmark of cancer. Recent evidence suggests that DIM-5 might have a role in the regulation of DNA replication. The purpose of this study is to develop new molecular tools to monitor DNA replication in heterochromatin-deficient mutants, and the long-term goal of this research is to better understand how eukaryotic organisms preserve the integrity of complex genomes.