Transcript RNA-templated DNA recombination and repair

Homologous recombination (HR) is a molecular process that plays multiple important roles in DNA metabolism, both for DNA repair and genetic variation in all forms of life(1). Generally, HR involves exchange of genetic information between two identical or nearly identical DNA molecules(1); however, HR can also occur between RNA molecules, as shown for RNA viruses(2). Previous research showed that synthetic RNA oligonucleotides (oligos) can template DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair in yeast and human cells(3,4), and artificial long RNA templates injected in ciliate cells can guide genomic rearrangements(5). Here we report that endogenous transcript RNA mediates HR with chromosomal DNA in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We developed a system to detect events of HR initiated by transcript RNA following repair of a chromosomal DSB occurring either in a homologous but remote locus (in trans), or in the same transcript-generating locus (in cis) in reverse transcription defective yeast strains. We found that RNA-DNA recombination is blocked by ribonucleases (RNases) H1 and H2. In the presence of RNases H, DSB repair proceeds through a cDNA intermediate, whereas in their absence, it proceeds directly through RNA. The proximity of the transcript to its chromosomal DNA partner in cis facilitates Rad52-driven HR during DSB repair. In accord, we demonstrate that yeast and human Rad52 proteins efficiently catalyze annealing of RNA to a DSB-like DNA end in vitro. Our results reveal a novel mechanism of HR and DNA repair templated by transcript RNA. Thus, considering the abundance of RNA transcripts in cells, the impact of RNA on genomic stability and plasticity could be vast.