The eukaryotic DNA damage tolerance pathway, translesion synthesis (TLS) is a process in which specialized DNA polymerases replicate across from DNA lesions. TLS aids in resistance to DNA damage, presumably by restarting stalled replication forks or filling in gaps that remain in the genome due to the presence of DNA lesions. One consequence of this process is the potential risk of introducing mutations.
Five known eukaryotic TLS DNA polymerases: Rev1, Pol zeta, Pol kappa, Pol eta, and Pol iota play a crutial role in regulation of the DNA damage tolerance in human cells.
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