[8] It is similar to the Saccharomyces cerevisiae protein Exo1 which interacts with Msh2 and which is involved in DNA mismatch repair and homologous recombination.
[7] ExoI is essential for meiotic progression through metaphase I in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and in mouse.
[9][10] Recombination during meiosis is often initiated by a DNA double-strand break (DSB) as illustrated in the accompanying diagram.
Later in the recombination process, Exo1 acts to facilitate the resolution of DHJs into COs, independently of its nuclease activities.
In resolving DHJs, Exo 1 acts together with MLH1-MLH3 heterodimer (MutL gamma) and Sgs1 (ortholog of Bloom syndrome helicase) to define a joint molecule resolution pathway that produces the majority of crossovers.