Different SWI/SNF complexes coordinately promote R-loop- and RAD52- dependent transcription-coupled homologous recombination

The SWI/SNF family of ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complexes are implicated in multiple DNA damage response mechanisms and frequently mutated in cancer. The BAF and PBAF complexes are two major types of SWI/SNF complexes that are functionally distinguished by their exclusive subunits. Accumulating evidence suggests that double-strand breaks (DSBs) in transcriptionally active DNA are preferentially repaired by a dedicated homologous recombination pathway. We show that different BAF and PBAF subunits promote homologous recombination and are rapidly recruited to DSBs in a transcription-dependent manner. The PBAF complex promotes RNA polymerase II eviction near DNA damage to rapidly initiate transcriptional silencing, while the BAF complex helps to maintain this transcriptional silencing. Furthermore, ARID1A-containing BAF complexes promote RNaseH1 and RAD52 recruitment to facilitate R-loop resolution and DNA repair. Our results highlight how multiple SWI/SNF complexes perform different functions to enable DNA repair in the context of actively transcribed genes.