Generation and Repair of Postreplication Gaps in Escherichia coli

Microbiol Mol Biol Rev. 2023 Jun 28;87(2):e0007822. doi: 10.1128/mmbr.00078-22. Epub 2023 May 22.

Abstract

When replication forks encounter template lesions, one result is lesion skipping, where the stalled DNA polymerase transiently stalls, disengages, and then reinitiates downstream to leave the lesion behind in a postreplication gap. Despite considerable attention in the 6 decades since postreplication gaps were discovered, the mechanisms by which postreplication gaps are generated and repaired remain highly enigmatic. This review focuses on postreplication gap generation and repair in the bacterium Escherichia coli. New information to address the frequency and mechanism of gap generation and new mechanisms for their resolution are described. There are a few instances where the formation of postreplication gaps appears to be programmed into particular genomic locations, where they are triggered by novel genomic elements.

Keywords: DNA recombination; DNA repair; RecA; RecF; RecG; RecO; RecR; mutagenesis; postreplication gap; translesion DNA synthesis.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • DNA Repair
  • DNA Replication
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase
  • Escherichia coli Proteins* / genetics
  • Escherichia coli* / genetics

Substances

  • Escherichia coli Proteins
  • DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • Bacterial Proteins