Repair of damaged DNA molecules by the enzymatic excision of the defective single-stranded segments and the subsequent synthesis of new segments. Using the complementary strand as a template, the correct bases are inserted and are interlinked by a DNA polymerase. A DNA ligase joins the two ends of the “patch” to the broken strand to complete the repair. See AP endonuclease, repair synthesis, thymine dimer, xeroderma pigmentosum.
Subjects: Genetics and Genomics.