Single-strand annealing between inverted DNA repeats: Pathway choice, participating proteins, and genome destabilizing consequences.

ABSTRACT: Double strand DNA breaks (DSBs) are dangerous events that can result from various causes including environmental assaults or the collapse of DNA replication. While the efficient and precise repair of DSBs is essential for cell survival, faulty repair can lead to genetic instability, making the choice of DSB repair an important step. Here we report that inverted DNA repeats (IRs) placed near a DSB can channel its repair from an accurate pathway that leads to gene conversion to instead a break-induced replication (BIR) pathway that leads to genetic instabilities. The effect of IRs is explained by their ability to form unusual DNA structures when present in ssDNA that is formed by DSB resection. We demonstrate that IRs can form two types of unusual DNA structures, and the choice between these

SUBMITTER: Ramakrishnan S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6103520 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature