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DICER ribonuclease removes harmful R-loops.
- Source :
-
Molecular cell [Mol Cell] 2023 Oct 19; Vol. 83 (20), pp. 3707-3719.e5. Date of Electronic Publication: 2023 Oct 11. - Publication Year :
- 2023
-
Abstract
- R-loops, which consist of a DNA-RNA hybrid and a displaced DNA strand, are known to threaten genome integrity. To counteract this, different mechanisms suppress R-loop accumulation by either preventing the hybridization of RNA with the DNA template (RNA biogenesis factors), unwinding the hybrid (DNA-RNA helicases), or degrading the RNA moiety of the R-loop (type H ribonucleases [RNases H]). Thus far, RNases H are the only nucleases known to cleave DNA-RNA hybrids. Now, we show that the RNase DICER also resolves R-loops. Biochemical analysis reveals that DICER acts by specifically cleaving the RNA within R-loops. Importantly, a DICER RNase mutant impaired in R-loop processing causes a strong accumulation of R-loops in cells. Our results thus not only reveal a function of DICER as an R-loop resolvase independent of DROSHA but also provide evidence for the role of multi-functional RNA processing factors in the maintenance of genome integrity in higher eukaryotes.<br />Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests.<br /> (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1097-4164
- Volume :
- 83
- Issue :
- 20
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Molecular cell
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 37827159
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2023.09.021