DNA damage

Biology

Gene

Control of chromosome duplication

Helicase

Replisome

Molecular biology

DNA replication

Cell biology

Genetics

Chromatin

Eukaryotic DNA replication

Molecular Cell

Vrtis et al. show that when a replisome encounters a single-strand DNA break in the leading or lagging strand template, the replication fork collapses, generating a double-strand break. Collapse is accompanied by loss of the replicative helicase from DNA, implying that fork restart would require recruitment of a new helicase.

Single-strand DNA breaks cause replisome disassembly