ABSTRACT In this issue of the Journal of Bacteriology , N. J. Bonde, E. A. Wood, K. S. Myers, M. Place, J. L. Keck, and M. M. Cox (J Bacteriol 205:e00184-23, 2023, https//doi.org/10.1128/jb.00184-23 ) used an unbiased transposon-sequencing (Tn-seq) screen to identify proteins required for life when cells lose the RecG branched-DNA helicase (synthetic lethality). The proteins’ identities indicate pathways that prevent endogenous DNA damage, pathways that prevent its homology-directed repair (HDR) “strand-exchange” intermediates between sister chromosomes, and pathways that resolve those intermediates. All avoid intermediate pile-up, which blocks chromosome segregation, causing “death-by-recombination.” DNA damage is managed to regulate crucial but potentially lethal HDR.