thymine dimer


thy·mine di·mer

a product of ultraviolet irradiation of thymine (free in ice or bound in nucleic acids) in which two thymine residues become linked by formation of a cyclobutane ring involving both C-5's and both C-6's at the expense of the two double bonds; several stereoisomeric forms are possible.

thymine dimer

a pair of adjacent THYMINE residues in a single POLYNUCLEOTIDE CHAIN that have become chemically bonded, usually by the action of ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT. The lesion can inhibit DNA replication unless repaired. However, the processes responsible for repairing the lesion sometimes make errors, in turn creating MUTATIONS. see XERODERMA PIGMENTOSUM.