RNase H2 degrades toxic RNA:DNA hybrids behind stalled forks to promote replication restart

ABSTRACT: R-loops represent a major source of replication stress but the mechanism by which these structures impede fork progression remains unclear. To address this question, we monitored fork progression, arrest and restart in S. cerevisiae cells lacking RNase H1 and H2, two enzymes responsible for degrading RNA:DNA hybrids. We found that while RNase H-deficient cells could replicate normally their chromosomes under unchallenged growth conditions, their replication was impaired when exposed to hydroxyurea (HU) or methyl methanesulfonate (MMS). Indeed, these cells exhibited increased levels of RNA:DNA hybrids at stalled forks and were unable to generate RPA-coated single-stranded (ssDNA), an important postreplicative step in resuming replication. Similar impairments in nascent DNA resection at HU-arrested forks were observed in human cells lacking RNase H2. However, the addition of triptolide, an inhibitor of transcription that induces RNA polymerase degradation, fully restored fork resection. Taken together, these data indicate that RNA:DNA hybrids not only act as barriers to replication forks, but also interfere with postreplicative fork repair mechanisms if not promptly degraded by RNase H.

ORGANISM(S): Saccharomyces cerevisiae

PROVIDER: GSE215896 | GEO | 2023/10/14

REPOSITORIES: GEO