Detection of RNA-Templated Double-Strand Break Repair in Yeast

The discovery of RNA-templated DNA repair has revealed a novel case where genetic information can flow directly from RNA to genomic DNA without passing through a reverse transcript intermediate. As initially demonstrated in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae via transformation by RNA-containing oligonucleotides (oligos), RNA sequences can serve as templates for chromosomal double-strand break (DSB) repair. Synthetic oligos containing embedded RNA tracts of various sizes, or even RNA-only molecules, although with lower efficiency, can guide DNA repair synthesis at sites of broken DNA. Mechanisms and circumstances in which cells can use RNA to repair DNA damage such as a DSB are yet to be identified. Here we show the approach we utilize to detect repair of a chromosomal DSB by RNA-containing oligos in yeast cells.