| Literature DB >> 26045257 |
Julie Sollier1, Karlene A Cimprich2.
Abstract
R-loops, nucleic acid structures consisting of an RNA-DNA hybrid and displaced single-stranded (ss) DNA, are ubiquitous in organisms from bacteria to mammals. First described in bacteria where they initiate DNA replication, it now appears that R-loops regulate diverse cellular processes such as gene expression, immunoglobulin (Ig) class switching, and DNA repair. Changes in R-loop regulation induce DNA damage and genome instability, and recently it was shown that R-loops are associated with neurodegenerative disorders. We discuss recent developments in the field; in particular, the regulation and effects of R-loops in cells, their effect on genomic and epigenomic stability, and their potential contribution to the origin of diseases including cancer and neurodegenerative disorders.Entities:
Keywords: R-loop; epigenomic stability; gene expression; genomic instability
Mesh:
Substances:
Year: 2015 PMID: 26045257 PMCID: PMC4554970 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2015.05.003
Source DB: PubMed Journal: Trends Cell Biol ISSN: 0962-8924 Impact factor: 20.808