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Homologous Recombination

Homologous Recombination

The basic reaction of homologous recombination (HR) involves two chromatids that contain DNA sequences sharing a significant stretch of identity. One of these sequences uses a strand from another as a template to synthesize DNA in an enzyme-catalyzed reaction. The final product is a novel amalgamation of the two substrates. To ensure an accurate recombination of sequences, HR is restricted to the S and G2 phases of the cell cycle. At these stages, the DNA has been replicated already and the...

Homologous Recombination

Homologous Recombination

The basic reaction of homologous recombination (HR) involves two chromatids that contain DNA sequences sharing a significant stretch of identity. One of these sequences uses a strand from another as a template to synthesize DNA in an enzyme-catalyzed reaction. The final product is a novel amalgamation of the two substrates. To ensure an accurate recombination of sequences, HR is restricted to the S and G2 phases of the cell cycle. At these stages, the DNA has been replicated already and the...

Translesion DNA Polymerases

Translesion DNA Polymerases

Translesion (TLS) polymerases rescue stalled DNA polymerases at sites of damaged bases by replacing the replicative polymerase and installing a nucleotide across the damaged site. Doing so, TLS allows additional time for the cell to repair the damage before resuming regular DNA replication.
TLS polymerases are found in all three domains of life - archaea, bacteria, and eukaryotes. Of the different classes of TLS polymerases, members of the Y family are fitted with specialized structures that...

Restarting Stalled Replication Forks

Restarting Stalled Replication Forks

DNA replication is initiated at sites containing predefined DNA sequences known as origins of replication. DNA is unwound at these sites by the minichromosome maintenance (MCM) helicase and other factors such as Cdc45 and the associated GINS complex.The unwound single strands are protected by replication protein A (RPA) until DNA polymerase starts synthesizing DNA at the 5’ end of the strand in the same direction as the replication fork. To prevent the replication fork from falling apart, a...

Conservative Site-specific Recombination and Phase Variation

Conservative Site-specific Recombination and Phase Variation

Because the DNA segments are cut and reorganized in a direction-specific manner, site-specific recombination has emerged as an efficient genetic engineering technique. Flippase and Cyclization recombinases or Flp and Cre, respectively, are two members of the tyrosine recombinase family derived from bacteriophages, that are used to mediate site-specific DNA insertions, deletions, and targeted expression of proteins in mammalian cell lines.
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The DNA Replication Fork

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An organism’s genome needs to be duplicated in an efficient and error-free manner for its growth and survival. The replication fork is a Y-shaped active region where two strands of DNA are separated and replicated continuously. The coupling of DNA unzipping and complementary strand synthesis is a characteristic feature of a replication fork. Organisms with small circular DNA, such as E. coli, often have a single origin of replication; therefore, they have only two replication forks, one in...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Visualization of Replisome Encounters with an Antigen Tagged Blocking Lesion

Visualization of Replisome Encounters with an Antigen Tagged Blocking Lesion

Published on: July 27, 2021

Replication blocking lesions present a unique substrate for homologous recombination.

Jordan D Ward¹, Louise J Barber, Mark Ir Petalcorin

¹DNA Damage Response Laboratory, Cancer Research UK, The London Research Institute, Clare Hall Laboratories, South Mimms, Herts, UK.

The EMBO Journal

|July 6, 2007

Summary

The study reveals that RFS-1 specifically promotes homologous recombination (HR) at replication fork barriers (RFBs), not all DNA breaks. This finding differentiates HR substrates at RFBs from those at double-strand breaks (DSBs).

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Detection of Homologous Recombination Intermediates via Proximity Ligation and Quantitative PCR in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

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Last Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Visualization of Replisome Encounters with an Antigen Tagged Blocking Lesion

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Detection of Homologous Recombination Intermediates via Proximity Ligation and Quantitative PCR in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Detection of Homologous Recombination Intermediates via Proximity Ligation and Quantitative PCR in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Published on: September 11, 2022

Area of Science:

Molecular Biology
Genetics
DNA Repair

Background:

Homologous recombination (HR) is crucial for restarting blocked replication forks.
The precise mechanisms governing HR at replication fork barriers (RFBs) are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the role of the Rad51 paralog RFS-1 in HR.
To determine if RFS-1 distinguishes between different HR substrates.

Main Methods:

Utilized Caenorhabditis elegans mutants lacking the rfs-1 gene.
Assessed RAD-51 recruitment to various DNA lesions, including double-strand breaks (DSBs) and RFBs.
Analyzed genetic interactions with him-6; top-3 and deletion formation at poly G/C tracts.

Main Results:

Mutants lacking RFS-1 can distinguish between HR substrates at DSBs versus RFBs.
RFS-1 is dispensable for RAD-51 recruitment to meiotic/IR-induced DSBs and collapsed forks.
RFS-1 is essential for RAD-51 recruitment to RFBs induced by DNA crosslinking agents.
Deletion of rfs-1 suppresses toxic HR intermediates and accelerates deletion formation at endogenous RFBs.

Conclusions:

RFS-1 acts specifically to promote HR at RFBs, not as a general mediator of DSB repair.
HR substrates generated at RFBs differ intrinsically from those at conventional DSBs or collapsed forks.