Delayed DNA joining at 3′ mismatches by human DNA ligases

Repair synthesis catalysed by DNA polymerase beta at 1 nt gaps occurs in the main pathway of mammalian base excision repair, DNA polymerase beta has no exonucleolytic proof-reading ability, and exhibits high error frequency during DNA synthesis. Consequently, continuous correction of endogenous DNA damage by short-patch repair synthesis might lead to a high spontaneous mutation rate, unless subsequent steps in the repair pathway allow for selective removal of incorporation errors. We show here that both human DNA ligase I and III discriminate strongly between a correctly paired versus a mispaired residue at the 3' position of a nick in DNA, when assayed in the presence of physiological concentrations of KCl. The resulting delay in joining after misincorporation by DNA polymerase beta during gap filling could allow for removal of the mismatched terminal residue by a distinct 3' exonuclease.