RNA Splicing: A New Player in the DNA Damage Response

Figure 2

Alternative splicing alterations can activate the DDR. Mutations in splicing regulatory signals can inactivate the function of genes directly involved in the DDR, resulting in the accumulation of DNA damage. However, also the inactivation of canonical splicing factors can have similar effects, either by inducing aberrant splicing of DDR genes or by perturbing cotranscriptional splicing and inducing R-loop formation. However, it cannot be ruled out that AS- and RNA-binding proteins may play novel roles in the DDR and the control of genome stability.