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Review
. 2021 Apr;23(4):305-313.
doi: 10.1038/s41556-021-00663-4. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

R-loops as Janus-faced modulators of DNA repair

Aline Marnef  1 , Gaëlle Legube  2
Affiliations
Free article
Review

R-loops as Janus-faced modulators of DNA repair

Aline Marnef et al. Nat Cell Biol. 2021 Apr.
Free article

Abstract

R-loops are non-B DNA structures with intriguing dual consequences for gene expression and genome stability. In addition to their recognized roles in triggering DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), R-loops have recently been demonstrated to accumulate in cis to DSBs, especially those induced in transcriptionally active loci. In this Review, we discuss whether R-loops actively participate in DSB repair or are detrimental by-products that must be removed to avoid genome instability.

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