Molecular genetics of DNA repair in higher plants.

Damage to DNA occurs in all living things, and the toxicity and/or mutagenicity of the damage products are reduced through the activities of one or more DNA repair pathways. The mechanisms of DNA repair are best understood in microorganisms and mammals, but the field has recently expanded to include both plants and lower animals. These recent advances in our understanding of the molecular and classical genetics of DNA repair in higher plants include such aspects as the repair of UV-induced pyrimidine dimers, the correction of mismatched bases, and the rejoining of double strand breaks.