UV-INDUCED DNA DEGRADATION IN THE CYANOBACTERIUM SYNECHOCYSTIS PCC 6308

Ultraviolet radiation-induced DNA degradation has been demonstrated in the unicellular cyanobacterium Synechocystis PCC 6308. The extent of DNA degradation was greatly reduced by inhibition of DNA replication by preirradiation dark incubation and degradation was completely inhibited by exposure of irradiated cells to photoreactivating wavelengths. DNA degradation was not observed when irradiated cells were incubated in the presence of the excision repair inhibitors caffeine and acriflavin, suggesting that degradation is a manifestation of excision repair of pyrimidine dimers in Synechocystis . Increasing UV fluences resulted in an increase in the final extent of DNA degradation. However, at higher fluences degradation was inhibited, suggesting saturation of the excision repair system. Incubation of irradiated cells under conditions which inhibit protein synthesis greatly increased the extent of DNA degradation and the time over which it occurred. Exposure of cells to a sublethal fluence of UV greatly reduced the extent of DNA degradation produced by a challenge fluence administered after 24 h incubation providing evidence for inducible DNA repair activity in cyanobacteria.