Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 19, 2025

Direct Restart of a Replication Fork Stalled by a Head-On RNA Polymerase
Published on: April 29, 2010
FAAP100 is required for the resolution of transcription-replication conflicts in primordial germ cells
Weiwei Xu1,2,3,4,5,6,7, Yajuan Yang1,2,3,4,5,6,7, Yongze Yu1,2,3,4,5,6,7
1Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China.
Background:
The maintenance of genome stability in primordial germ cells (PGCs) is crucial for the faithful transmission of genetic information and the establishment of reproductive reserve. Numerous studies in recent decades have linked the Fanconi anemia (FA) pathway with fertility, particularly PGC development. However, the role of FAAP100, an essential component of the FA core complex, in germ cell development is unexplored.
Results:
We find that FAAP100 plays an essential role in R-loop resolution and replication fork protection to counteract transcription-replication conflicts (TRCs) during mouse PGC proliferation. FAAP100 deletion leads to FA pathway inactivation, increases TRCs as well as cotranscriptional R-loops, and contributes to the collapse of replication forks and the generation of DNA damage. Then, the activated p53 signaling pathway triggers PGC proliferation defects, ultimately resulting in insufficient establishment of reproductive reserve in both sexes of mice.
Conclusions:
Our findings suggest that FAAP100 is required for the resolution of TRCs in PGCs to safeguard their genome stability.
Related Concept Videos
Restarting Stalled Replication Forks
The DNA Replication Fork
Replication in Eukaryotes
Many Proteins Orchestrate Replication at the Origin
Eukaryotic replication follows many of the same...
DNA Damage can Stall the Cell Cycle
Chromosome Replication
The Replisome
The synthesis of the leading and lagging strands is a highly coordinated process. To explain this, the “Trombone model” was proposed by Bruce Alberts in 1980. The DNA loop formation starts when a primer is synthesized on the parent lagging strand. The loop grows with...

