title: Ribonucleotides in DNA: origins, repair and consequences.
abstract: While primordial life is thought to have been RNA-based (Cech, Cold Spring Harbor Perspect. Biol. 4 (2012) a006742), all living organisms store genetic information in DNA, which is chemically more stable. Distinctions between the RNA and DNA worlds and our views of "DNA" synthesis continue to evolve as new details emerge on the incorporation, repair and biological effects of ribonucleotides in DNA genomes of organisms from bacteria through humans.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Laboratory of Structural Biology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, DHHS, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, United States.
authors.forename: Jessica S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Laboratory of Structural Biology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, DHHS, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, United States. Electronic address: kunkel@niehs.nih.gov.
authors.forename: Thomas A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Kunkel
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D004260:DNA Repair / Q000235:genetics*; D004261:DNA Replication; D042822:Genomic Instability; D006801:Humans; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics*; D016914:Ribonuclease H / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012265:Ribonucleotides / Q000235:genetics*; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D012265:Ribonucleotides; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA; D016914:Ribonuclease H
keywords: DNA polymerase; DNA repair; DNA replication; Genome instability; Ribonucleotides