Srs2 enables checkpoint recovery by promoting disassembly of DNA damage foci from chromatin

Following DNA repair, checkpoint signalling must be abated to resume cell cycling in a phenomenon known as checkpoint recovery. Although a number of genes have been implicated in the recovery process, it is still unknown whether checkpoint recovery is caused by a signalling network activated by DNA repair or whether it is the result of the loss of DNA structures that elicit the checkpoint. Here we show that checkpoint recovery can be uncoupled from bulk chromosome DNA repair if single-stranded (ss) DNA persists. This situation occurs in cells that are deficient in the Srs2 helicase, a protein that antagonizes Rad51. We report that srs2Δ cells fail to eliminate Ddc2 and RPA subnuclear foci following bulk chromosome repair due to the persistence of ssDNA. In contrast to cells with DNA double-strand breaks that remain unrepaired, srs2Δ cells remove the 9-1-1 checkpoint clamp from chromatin after repair. However, despite the loss of the 9-1-1 clamp, Dpb11 remains associated with chromatin to promote checkpoint activity. Our work indicates that Srs2 promotes checkpoint recovery by removing Rad51 after DNA repair. A failure to remove Rad51 causes persistence of ssDNA and the checkpoint signal. Therefore, we conclude that cells initiate recovery when the DNA structures that elicit the checkpoint are eliminated.