Removal of UV light-induced pyrimidine-pyrimidone(6-4) products from Escherichia coli DNA requires the uvrA, uvrB, and urvC gene products.

Ultraviolet light induces the formation of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers and pyrimidine- pyrimidone (6-4) photoproducts in cellular DNA. In Escherichia coli, the uvrA, uvrB, and uvrC genes are necessary for excision of cyclobutane dimers. To determine whether the uvrABC gene products are required for (6-4) product removal from DNA, a sensitive HPLC assay was developed that allows the separation and quantitation of both types of photoproducts. Both the T T cyclobutane dimer and the T-C(6-4) product were completely removed from the DNA after 2 hr of repair in a wild-type strain. Both products were also removed in the wild-type strain in the presence of chloramphenicol, an inhibitor of protein synthesis. No decrease in the amount of either T T cyclobutane dimer or of T-C(6-4) products was observed in strains that were deficient in any one of the three uvr gene products under similar conditions. We conclude the uvrABC enzyme complex is required for excision of (6-4) photoproducts from E. coli DNA.