DNA polymerase β uses its lyase domain in a processive search for DNA damage.

DNA polymerase (Pol) β maintains genome fidelity by catalyzing DNA synthesis and removal of a reactive DNA repair intermediate during base excision repair (BER). Situated within the middle of the BER pathway, Pol β must efficiently locate its substrates before damage is exacerbated. The mechanisms of damage search and location by Pol β are largely unknown, but are critical for understanding the fundamental features of the BER pathway. We developed a processive search assay to determine if Pol β has evolved a mechanism for efficient DNA damage location. These assays revealed that Pol β scans DNA using a processive hopping mechanism and has a mean search footprint of ∼24 bp at predicted physiological ionic strength. Lysines within the lyase domain are required for processive searching, revealing a novel function for the lyase domain of Pol β. Application of our processive search assay into nucleosome core particles revealed that Pol β is not processive in the context of a nucleosome, and its single-turnover activity is reduced ∼500-fold, as compared to free DNA. These data suggest that the repair footprint of Pol β mainly resides within accessible regions of the genome and that these regions can be scanned for damage by Pol β. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research 2017.