Involvement of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase-I-associated 5' in equilibrium 3' exonuclease in excision-repair of UV-damaged DNA.

From comparative studies between Escherichia coli PolA107 cells (lacking 5' in equilibrium 3' exonucleoytic activity associated with DNA polymerase I) and the isogenic wild-type strain, and between the purified DNA polymerase I preparations isolated from these strains, it can be concluded that the 5' in equilibrium 5' exonuclease is involved in excision of pyrimidine dimers in E. coli. Evidence is presented that the polA107 mutation is located on that part of the DNA polymerase I gene coding for the small fragment on which 5' in equilibrium 3' exonucleolytic activity is found.