UV sensitivity in thymidine kinase deficient mouse erythroleukaemia cells.

Wild type Friend erythroleukaemia cells (clone 707) and thymidine kinase (EC. 2.7.1.2.1) deficient derivatives were examined for sensitivity to killing by ultra-violet (UV) irradiation. Deficiency of thymidine kinase leads to increased cell killing as evidenced in all of twelve thymidine kinase deficient clones examined. A revertant thymidine kinase positive clone was found to have a level of thymidine kinase activity and UV sensitivity intermediate between wild type cells and its thymidine kinase deficient parent clone. The increased cell killing in thymidine kinase deficient clones is also reflected in increased mutagenesis by UV to 6-thioguanine resistance. It is suggested that the increased mutagenesis and sensitivity is due to defective DNA repair as a result of an imbalance in deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate pools in thymidine kinase deficient cells.