R-loop Regulation Research Articles

Regulatory R-loops as facilitators of gene expression and genome stability.

R-loops are three-stranded structures that harbour an RNA-DNA hybrid and frequently form during transcription. R-loop misregulation is associated with DNA damage, transcription elongation defects, hyper-recombination and genome instability. In contrast to such 'unscheduled' R-loops, evidence is mounting that cells harness the presence of RNA-DNA hybrids in scheduled, 'regulatory' R-loops to promote DNA transactions, including transcription termination and other steps of gene regulation, telomere stability and DNA repair. R-loops formed by cellular RNAs can regulate histone post-translational modification and may be recognized by dedicated reader proteins. The two-faced nature of R-loops implies that their formation, location and timely removal must be tightly regulated. In this Perspective, we discuss the cellular processes that regulatory R-loops modulate, the regulation of R-loops and the potential differences that may exist between regulatory R-loops and unscheduled R-loops.

M6A RNA modification as a new player in R-loop regulation.

RNA:DNA hybrids that form across genomes control a wide range of biological processes. A new study shows that N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification on the RNA moieties regulates the formation and genome integrity of these hybrids. This finding opens a new avenue of research on how RNA modifications (the ‘epitranscriptome’) can help control genome maintenance.

Regulation of R-loops and genome instability in Fanconi anemia.

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a devastating hereditary disorder with impaired genome stability resulting in physical abnormalities, gradual loss of hematopoietic stem cells and development of tumours and leukaemia. It has been suggested that functions of FA genes are required to maintain genome stability by counteracting endogenous metabolites, such as aldehydes, that damage DNA and stall replication forks. Recent studies have implicated co-transcriptional R-loops, consisting of a DNA:RNA hybrid and displaced single-stranded DNA, as one of the potential endogenous sources that induce genome instability and the FA phenotype. This review focuses on recent literature, including our own, regarding the interplay between FA proteins and R-loops, and will provide readers with a concise summary of this rapidly evolving field.

Cohesin SA2 and EWSR1 in R-Loop Regulation

Cohesin SA2 and EWSR1 in R-Loop Regulation

Telomere Length Determines TERRA and R-Loop Regulation through the Cell Cycle

Maintenance of a minimal telomere length is essential to prevent cellular senescence. When critically short telomeres arise in the absence of telomerase, they can be repaired by homology-directed repair (HDR) to prevent premature senescence onset. It is unclear why specifically the shortest telomeres are targeted for HDR. We demonstrate that the non-coding RNA TERRA accumulates as HDR-promoting RNA-DNA hybrids (R-loops) preferentially at very short telomeres. The increased level of TERRA and R-loops, exclusively at short telomeres, is due to a local defect in RNA degradation by the Rat1 and RNase H2 nucleases, respectively. Consequently, the coordination of TERRA degradation with telomere replication is altered at shortened telomeres. R-loop persistence at short telomeres contributes to activation of the DNA damage response (DDR) and promotes recruitment of the Rad51 recombinase. Thus, the telomere length-dependent regulation of TERRA and TERRA R-loops is a critical determinant of the rate of replicative senescence.

Breaking bad: R-loops and genome integrity.

R-loops, nucleic acid structures consisting of an RNA-DNA hybrid and displaced single-stranded (ss) DNA, are ubiquitous in organisms from bacteria to mammals. First described in bacteria where they initiate DNA replication, it now appears that R-loops regulate diverse cellular processes such as gene expression, immunoglobulin (Ig) class switching, and DNA repair. Changes in R-loop regulation induce DNA damage and genome instability, and recently it was shown that R-loops are associated with neurodegenerative disorders. We discuss recent developments in the field; in particular, the regulation and effects of R-loops in cells, their effect on genomic and epigenomic stability, and their potential contribution to the origin of diseases including cancer and neurodegenerative disorders.