Characterization of a human homolog of (6-4) photolyase

(6-4)Photolyase catalyzes light-dependent repair of UV-induced pyrimidine (6-4) pyrimidone photoproducts. A human cDNA clone which has high sequence homology to the (6-4)photolyase gene (H64PRH gene) was identified. In this paper we also isolated a genomic clone corresponding to the H64PRH cDNA and mapped it to chromosome 12q24.1 by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Northern-blot analysis revealed transcription of this gene in all human tissues examined. The H64PRH protein was overproduced in E. coli, partially purified and characterized. Like (6-4)photolyase, the enzyme contains two chromophores, one of which is FAD. However, the enzyme does not show any detectable photolyase activity.