Yeast Sen1 helicase protects the genome from transcription-associated instability

Sen1 of S.cerevisiae is a known component of the NRD complex implicated in transcription termination on nonpolyadenylated as well as some polyadenylated RNA polymerase II transcripts. We now show that Sen1 helicase possesses a wider function by restricting the occurrence of RNA:DNA hybrids that may...

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Main Authors: Mischo, H, Gómez-González, B, Grzechnik, P, Rondón, A, Wei, W, Steinmetz, L, Aguilera, A, Proudfoot, N
格式: Journal article
语言:English
出版: Elsevier 2011
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总结:Sen1 of S.cerevisiae is a known component of the NRD complex implicated in transcription termination on nonpolyadenylated as well as some polyadenylated RNA polymerase II transcripts. We now show that Sen1 helicase possesses a wider function by restricting the occurrence of RNA:DNA hybrids that may naturally form during transcription, when nascent RNA hybridizes to DNA prior to its packaging into RNA protein complexes. These hybrids displace the nontranscribed strand and create R loop structures. Loss of Sen1 results in transient R loop accumulation and so elicits transcription-associated recombination. SEN1 genetically interacts with DNA repair genes, suggesting that R loop resolution requires proteins involved in homologous recombination. Based on these findings, we propose that R loop formation is a frequent event during transcription and a key function of Sen1 is to prevent their accumulation and associated genome instability.