Abstract
DNA damage is ubiquitous to all cells. When left unrepaired, it can impede polymerization during the DNA replication process. This causes the formation of single-strand DNA (ssDNA) gaps, which, if left unrepaired, can lead to double-stranded breaks. Repair mechanisms are essential to maintaining the genomic integrity of the cell. Helicases have an essential role in the repair process and are responsible for unwinding the nascent DNA strand to open up the damaged DNA to repair proteins. In Escherichia coli (E. coli), YoaA is a putative 5′-3′ helicase believed to have a role in DNA repair. Expression of YoaA protein has been shown to promote resistance to DNA damage by 3azidothymidine (AZT), a chain terminator that causes the formation of single strand DNA gaps. My objective was to identify whether YoaA is recruited in several DNA response pathways, specifically looking at potential transcriptional involvement of YoaA in R-loop degradation, activation of YoaA under acidic conditions, and the involvement of YoaA in DNA repair by homologous recombination. YoaA was not found to be involved in any of these processes and further research is required to elucidate the function of the protein in DNA repair.