Anti-DNA polymerase eta antibody (ab186677)

DNA polymerase specifically involved in DNA repair. Plays an important role in translesion synthesis, where the normal high fidelity DNA polymerases cannot proceed and DNA synthesis stalls. Plays an important role in the repair of UV-induced pyrimidine dimers. Depending on the context, it inserts the correct base, but causes frequent base transitions and transversions. May play a role in hypermutation at immunoglobulin genes. Forms a Schiff base with 5'-deoxyribose phosphate at abasic sites, but does not have lyase activity. Targets POLI to replication foci.

Defects in POLH are the cause of xeroderma pigmentosum variant type (XPV) [MIM:278750]; also designated as XP-V. Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is an autosomal recessive disease due to deficient nucleotide excision repair. It is characterized by hypersensitivity of the skin to sunlight, followed by high incidence of skin cancer and frequent neurologic abnormalities. XPV shows normal nucleotide excision repair, but an exaggerated delay in recovery of replicative DNA synthesis. Most XPV patients do not develop clinical symptoms and skin neoplasias until a later age. Clinical manifestations are limited to photo-induced deterioration of the skin and eyes.

Belongs to the DNA polymerase type-Y family.
Contains 1 umuC domain.

The catalytic core consists of fingers, palm and thumb subdomains, but the fingers and thumb subdomains are much smaller than in high-fidelity polymerases; residues from five sequence motifs of the Y-family cluster around an active site cleft that can accommodate DNA and nucleotide substrates with relaxed geometric constraints, with consequently higher rates of misincorporation and low processivity.

Nucleus. Accumulates at replication forks after DNA damage.