Genome-Wide Mapping of UV-Induced DNA Damage with CPD-Seq

Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation is the major risk factor for skin cancers. UV induces helix-distorting DNA damage such as cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs). If not repaired, CPDs can strongly block DNA and RNA polymerases and cause mutagenesis or cell death. Nucleotide excision repair (NER) is critical for the removal of UV-induced photolesions including CPDs in the cell. Investigating CPD formation and repair across the genome is important for understanding the mechanisms by which these lesions promote somatic mutations in skin cancers. Here we describe a high-throughput, single nucleotide-resolution damage mapping method named CPD sequencing (CPD-seq) for genome-wide analysis of UV-induced CPDs. Protocols for CPD-seq library preparation in yeast and human cells, as well as bioinformatics identification of the CPD damage site, are detailed below.