A small RNA response to DNA ends in Drosophila

Small RNAs have been implicated in numerous cellular processes, including effects on chromatin structure and the repression of transposons. We describe the generation of a small RNA response at DNA ends in Drosophila that is analogous to the recently reported DSB-induced RNAs (diRNAs) or Dicer and Drosha dependent small RNAs (ddRNAs) in Arabidopsis and vertebrates. Active transcription in the vicinity of the break amplifies this small RNA response, demonstrating that the normal mRNA contributes to the endo-siRNA precursor. The double-stranded RNA precursor forms with an antisense transcript that initiates at the DNA break. Breaks are thus sites of transcription initiation, a novel aspect of the cellular DSB response. This response is specific to a double-strand break since nicked DNA structures do not trigger small RNA production. The small RNAs are generated independently of the exact end structure (blunt, 3'- or 5'-overhang), can repress homologous sequences in trans and may therefore - in addition to putative roles in repair - exert a quality control function by clearing potentially truncated messages from genes in the vicinity of the break. Overall design: Drosophila melanogaster S2 cells were cultured and transfected with reporter gene plasmids that were either circular or modified by restriction digest prior to transfection. Following transfection, total RNA was isolated from the cells and gel-purified for size selection (~18-30 nt). Digested plasmid samples were compared to those of circular plasmids and a nontransfected control.