Effects of ultraviolet light on synchronized Chinese hamster ovary cells; potentiation by hydroxyurea.

We have examined the effects of hydroxyurea on u.v.-irradiated Chinese hamster CHO-KI cells. Ultraviolet irradiation followed by incubation with hydroxyurea causes only slight disruption of DNA and chromosome structure in CHO-KI cells compared with HeLa cells. There is, however, a clear potentiation by hydroxyurea of the u.v. killing of CHO-KI cells, which is most pronounced at those points in the cycle which are reported to have small DNA precursor pools. This potentiation is reduced when DNA precursors are provided together with hydroxyurea. These data are discussed in terms of an uncoupling of excision and repair DNA synthesis.