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Best practices for the visualization, mapping, and manipulation of R-loops.
EMBO J, 40(4):e106394.
R-loops represent an abundant class of large non-B DNA structures in genomes. Eventhough they form transiently and at modest frequencies, interfering with R-loopformation or dissolution has significant impacts on genome stability. Addressing themechanism(s) of R-loop-mediated genome destabilization requires a precisecharacterization of their distribution in genomes. A number of independent methodshave been developed to visualize and map R-loops, but their results are at timesdiscordant, leading to confusion. Here, we review the main existing methodologiesfor R-loop mapping and assess their limitations as well as the robustness ofexisting datasets. We offer a set of best practices to improve the reproducibilityof maps, hoping that such guidelines could be useful for authors and referees alike.Finally, we propose a possible resolution for the apparent contradictions in R-loopmapping outcomes between antibody-based and RNase H1-based mapping approaches.
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