title: A cryptochrome/photolyase class of enzymes with single-stranded DNA-specific photolyase activity.
abstract: Photolyases and cryptochrome blue-light photoreceptors are evolutionarily related flavoproteins that perform distinct functions. Photolyases repair UV-damaged DNA in many species from bacteria to plants and animals. Cryptochromes regulate growth and development in plants and the circadian clock in animals. Recently, a new branch of the photolyase/cryptochrome family was identified. Members of this branch exhibited no or trace levels of DNA repair activity in vivo and in vitro and, therefore, were considered to be cryptochromes, and they were named cryptochrome-DASH. Here, we show that Cry-DASH proteins from bacterial, plant, and animal sources actually are photolyases with high degree of specificity for cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers in ssDNA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7260, USA.
authors.forename: Christopher P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Selby
authors.forename: Aziz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sancar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D056931:Cryptochromes; D004249:DNA Damage; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D004255:Deoxyribodipyrimidine Photo-Lyase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005420:Flavoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008027:Light; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011740:Pyrimidine Dimers; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014734:Vibrio cholerae / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D056931:Cryptochromes; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D005420:Flavoproteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D011740:Pyrimidine Dimers; D004255:Deoxyribodipyrimidine Photo-Lyase