Repair of Genetic Damage Induced by UV-B (290–320 nm) Radiation

Abstract

Electromagnetic radiation in the UV-B region (290–320 nm) induces genetic damage in cells with both lethal and mutagenic consequences. Furthermore, UV-B radiation can transform eucaryotic cells to an inheritable altered state which can lead to cancer formation in whole organisms. In the following overview, the various types of DNA alteration known to be induced in this region will be summarized together with a description of the various repair systems that can act to ameliorate this damage in procaryotic and eucaryotic cells. We will focus on studies with defined near monochromatic radiations. However, since natural sunlight is composed of a mixture of wavelengths that includes both UV-A (320–380 nm) and visible radiations, interactions that may occur between the longer wavelengths and the shorter UV-B region will also be mentioned.