Dual Processing of R-Loops and Topoisomerase I Induces Transcription-Dependent DNA Double-Strand Breaks (Cell Reports)

Cristini et al. identify a mechanism of DSB formation in non-replicating cells, which strictly depends on transcription. They are formed by two single-strand breaks on opposing DNA strands resulting from the processing of both R-loops and topoisomerase I, and genetic defects increasing these transcriptional DSBs cause neurological disorders.