0000000000329431
AUTHOR
Arianna Lockhart
RNase H1 and H2 are differentially regulated to eliminate RNA-DNA hybrids
SUMMARYRNA-DNA hybrids are tightly regulated to ensure genome integrity. The RNase H enzymes, RNase H1 and H2, contribute to chromosomal stability through the removal of RNA-DNA hybrids. Loss of RNase H2 function is implicated in human diseases of the nervous system and cancer. To better understand RNA-DNA hybrid dynamics, we have focused on elucidating the regulation of the RNase H enzymes themselves. Using yeast as a model system, we demonstrate that RNase H1 and H2 are controlled in different manners. RNase H2 is regulated in a strict cell cycle dependent manner, both in terms of its R-loop removal, and ribonucleotide excision repair functions. RNase H1, however, can function independent…
RNase H1 and H2 Are Differentially Regulated to Process RNA-DNA Hybrids
Summary: RNA-DNA hybrids are tightly regulated to ensure genome integrity. The RNase H enzymes RNase H1 and H2 contribute to chromosomal stability through the removal of RNA-DNA hybrids. Loss of RNase H2 function is implicated in human diseases of the nervous system and cancer. To better understand RNA-DNA hybrid dynamics, we focused on elucidating the regulation of the RNase H enzymes themselves. Using yeast as a model system, we demonstrate that RNase H1 and H2 are controlled in different manners. RNase H2 has strict cell cycle requirements, in that it has an essential function in G2/M for both R-loop processing and ribonucleotide excision repair. RNase H1, however, can function independe…
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 r…