Endonuclease that specifically degrades the RNA of RNA-DNA hybrids. RNase H participates in DNA replication; it helps to specify the origin of genomic replication by suppressing initiation at origins other than the oriC locus; along with the 5'-3' exonuclease of pol1, it removes RNA primers from the Okazaki fragments of lagging strand synthesis; and it defines the origin of replication for ColE1-type plasmids by specific cleavage of an RNA preprimer. Involved in production of retron derived msDNA （a branched RNA linked by a 2',5'-phosphodiester bond to a single-stranded DNA）.