Single-Strand DNA Breaks Cause Replisome Disassembly

DNA damage impedes replication fork progression and threatens genome stability. Upon encounter with most DNA adducts, the replicative CMG helicase (CDC45-MCM2-7-GINS) stalls or uncouples from the point of synthesis, yet CMG eventually resumes replication. However, little is known about the effect on replication of single-strand breaks or "nicks", which are abundant in mammalian cells. Using Xenopus egg extracts, we reveal that CMG collision with a nick in the leading strand template generates a blunt-ended double-strand break (DSB). Moreover, CMG, which encircles the leading strand template, "runs off" the end of the DSB. In contrast, CMG collision with a lagging strand nick generates a broken end with a single-stranded overhang. In this setting, CMG translocates beyond the nick on double-stranded DNA and is then actively removed from chromatin by the p97 ATPase. Our results show that nicks are uniquely dangerous DNA lesions that invariably cause replisome disassembly, and they argue that CMG cannot be deposited on dsDNA while cells resolve replication stress. HighlightsO_LIThe structures of leading and lagging strand collapsed forks are different C_LIO_LICMG passively "runs off" the broken DNA end during leading strand fork collapse C_LIO_LICMG is unloaded from duplex DNA after lag collapse in a p97-dependent manner C_LIO_LINicks are uniquely toxic lesions that cause fork collapse and replisome disassembly C_LI