DNA replication past pyrimidine dimers in the absence of repair

Post-UV DNA synthesis in Escherichia coli uvrA recA cells was studied. A low dose of UV radiation (0.07 J/m2), which caused no degradation of the dimer-containing DNA, was used. This enabled us to make a direct comparison between DNA synthesis on the normal template and DNA synthesis on the UV-damaged template. There was no change in the post-UV DNA synthesis kinetics during the first 60 min of post-irradiation incubation. A reduced rate of DNA synthesis was observed at later post-UV times when the dimers are expected to have passed through the normal replication complex. This reduced rate of DNA synthesis was associated with loss of the biological activity of the DNA. We suggest that the gaps opposite dimers rather than dimers per se interfere with normal replication, thus leading to cell death of uvrA recA bacteria.