Double-strand breaks and other lesions in DNA can stimulate homologous genetic recombination in two quite different ways: by promoting recombination near the break (roughly within a kb) or far from the break. Recent emphasis on the repair aspect of recombination has focused attention on DNA interactions and recombination near breaks. Here I review evidence for recombination far from DNA breaks ...

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs) act as DNA break sensors and catalyze the synthesis of polymers of ADP-ribose (PAR) covalently attached to acceptor proteins at DNA damage sites. It has been demonstrated that both mammalian PARP1 and PARP2 PARylate double-strand break termini in DNA oligonucleotide duplexes in vitro. Here, we show that mammalian PARP2 and PARP3 can PARylate and mono(ADP-rib...

The contributions of the Sgs1, Mph1, and Srs2 DNA helicases during mitotic double-strand break (DSB) repair in yeast were investigated using a gap-repair assay. A diverged chromosomal substrate was used as a repair template for the gapped plasmid, allowing mismatch-containing heteroduplex DNA (hDNA) formed during recombination to be monitored. Overall DSB repair efficiencies and the proportions...

AIM To analyze the functional interactions of Cyclin with p53 and Atm in spermatogenesis and DNA double-strand break repair. METHODS Two lines of double knockout mice were generated. Spermatogenesis and double strand break repair mechanisms were analyzed in Cyclin A1 (Ccna1); p53- and Ccna1; Atm-double knockout mice. RESULTS The block in spermatogenesis observed in Cyclin A1-/- (Ccna1-/-) t...

We have utilized DNA transfer and recombinant DNA techniques to probe DNA double-strand break repair in the human ionizing radiation-sensitive genetic syndrome ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T). Using restriction enzyme-generated double-strand breaks in the coding sequence of a selectable gene we have detected a significantly greater frequency of mis-repair of such breaks in a permanent A-T cell line...

Association of DNA Polymerase (pol ) with Ku and Ligase IV: Role for pol in End-Joining Double-Strand Break Repair Kiran N. Mahajan, Stephanie A. Nick McElhinny, Beverly S. Mitchell, and Dale A. Ramsden* Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, and Departments of Pharmacology and Medicine, University of Nort...

Very few gene conversions in mitotic cells are associated with crossovers, suggesting that these events are regulated. This may be important for the maintenance of genetic stability. We have analyzed the relationship between homologous recombination and crossing-over in haploid budding yeast and identified factors involved in the regulation of crossover outcomes. Gene conversions unaccompanied ...

RNA-DNA hybrids are a major internal cause of DNA damage within cells, and their degradation by RNase H enzymes is important for maintaining genomic stability. Here, we identified an unexpected role for RNA-DNA hybrids and RNase H enzymes in DNA repair. Using a site-specific DNA double-strand break (DSB) system in Schizosaccharomyces pombe, we showed that RNA-DNA hybrids form as part of the hom...