Elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) reduce replication fork velocity by causing dissociation of the TIMELESS-TIPIN complex from the replisome. Here, we show that ROS generated by exposure of human cells to the ribonucleotide reductase inhibitor hydroxyurea (HU) promote replication fork reversal in a manner dependent on active transcription and formation of co-transcriptional RNA:DNA hybrids (R-loops). The frequency of R-loop-dependent fork stalling events is also increased after TIMELESS depletion or a partial inhibition of replicative DNA polymerases by aphidicolin, suggesting that this phenomenon is due to a global replication slowdown. In contrast, replication arrest caused by HU-induced depletion of deoxynucleotides does not induce fork reversal but, if allowed to persist, leads to extensive R-loop-independent DNA breakage during S-phase. Our work reveals a link between oxidative stress and transcription-replication interference that causes genomic alterations recurrently found in human cancer.

• MeSH
• DNA vazebné proteiny * metabolismus   MeSH
• DNA MeSH
• hydroxymočovina farmakologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• reaktivní formy kyslíku MeSH
• replikace DNA * MeSH
• S fáze genetika   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH