Single-nucleotide resolution dynamic repair maps of UV damage in Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome

We have adapted the eXcision Repair-sequencing (XR-seq) method to generate single-nucleotide resolution dynamic repair maps of UV-induced cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers and (6-4) pyrimidine-pyrimidone photoproducts in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome. We find that these photoproducts are removed from the genome primarily by incisions 13-18 nucleotides 5' and 6-7 nucleotides 3' to the UV damage that generate 21- to 27-nt-long excision products. Analyses of the excision repair kinetics both in single genes and at the genome-wide level reveal strong transcription-coupled repair of the transcribed strand at early time points followed by predominantly nontranscribed strand repair at later stages. We have also characterized the excision repair level as a function of the transcription level. The availability of high-resolution and dynamic repair maps should aid in future repair and mutagenesis studies in this model organism.