m5C modification of mRNA serves a DNA damage code to promote homologous recombination

Recruitment of DNA repair proteins to DNA damage sites is a critical step for DNA repair. Post-translational modifications of proteins at DNA damage sites serve as DNA damage codes to recruit specific DNA repair factors. Here, we show that mRNA is locally modified by m(5)C at sites of DNA damage. The RNA methyltransferase TRDMT1 is recruited to DNA damage sites to promote m(5)C induction. Loss of TRDMT1 compromises homologous recombination (HR) and increases cellular sensitivity to DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). In the absence of TRDMT1, RAD51 and RAD52 fail to localize to sites of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced DNA damage. In vitro, RAD52 displays an increased affinity for DNA:RNA hybrids containing m(5)C-modified RNA. Loss of TRDMT1 in cancer cells confers sensitivity to PARP inhibitors in vitro and in vivo. These results reveal an unexpected TRDMT1-m(5)C axis that promotes HR, suggesting that post-transcriptional modifications of RNA can also serve as DNA damage codes to regulate DNA repair. Post-translational modifications of proteins at DNA damage sites can facilitate the recruitment of DNA repair factors. Here, the authors show that mRNA is locally modified with m(5)C at sites of DNA damage by the RNA methyltransferase TRDMT1 to promote homologous recombination repair.