Action of exonuclease V (the recBC enzyme) on ultraviolet-irradiated DNA.

Exonuclease V (the recBC enzyme) of Escherichia coli can release pyrimidine dimers from ultraviolet-irradiated linear duplex DNA though it acts more slowly on irradiated DNA than on non-irradiated DAN. However, close circular lambda-dv DNA or phi X174 replicative form I DNA is not attacked by exonuclease V even though the DNA has been irradiated and treated with T4 endonuclease V to produce single-stranded breaks at the 5'-side of pyrimidine dimers. When irradiated circular DNA, previously nicked by T4 endonuclease V, is briefly exposed to elevated temperature, the DAN becomes susceptible to the action of exonuclease V, and pyrimidine dimers are selectively released. The increased susceptibility to exonuclease V may be resulted from locarized denaturation, or "fraying" of the 5'-termini at the nicks. The preferential release of pyrimidine dimers was observed when irradiated DNA, treated with T4 endonuclease V, was incubated with crude extracts of Escherichia coli. The activity was found in various strains defective in exonuclease V and/or DNA polymerase I.