An investigation of the effect of radioactive labeling of DNA on excision repair in UV-irradiated human fibroblasts.

Previous studies on the kinetics of thymine dimer excision and unscheduled DNA synthesis in UV-irradiated human fibroblasts showed a significant discrepancy in these two parameters (Ehmann et al., 1978. Biophys. J. 22: 249). In the present study we have investigated the effect of the level of the radioactive isotope used for labeling cells on the kinetics of a parameter that directly measures thymine dimer excision. We find no significant differences in the kinetics of this parameter in cells lightly or heavily labeled with radioactive thymidine.