PARP3 is a promoter of chromosomal rearrangements and limits G4 DNA.

Chromosomal rearrangements are essential events in the pathogenesis of both malignant and nonmalignant disorders, yet the factors affecting their formation are incompletely understood. Here we develop a zinc-finger nuclease translocation reporter and screen for factors that modulate rearrangements in human cells. We identify UBC9 and RAD50 as suppressors and 53BP1, DDB1 and poly(ADP)ribose polymerase 3 (PARP3) as promoters of chromosomal rearrangements across human cell types. We focus on PARP3 as it is dispensable for murine viability and has druggable catalytic activity. We find that PARP3 regulates G quadruplex (G4) DNA in response to DNA damage, which suppresses repair by nonhomologous end-joining and homologous recombination. Chemical stabilization of G4 DNA in PARP3-/- cells leads to widespread DNA double-strand breaks and synthetic lethality. We propose a model in which PARP3 suppresses G4 DNA and facilitates DNA repair by multiple pathways.