Anti-POLK

This gene encodes a member of the DNA polymerase type-Y family of proteins. The encoded protein is a specialized DNA polymerase that catalyzes translesion DNA synthesis, which allows DNA replication in the presence of DNA lesions. Human cell lines lacking a functional copy of this gene exhibit impaired genome integrity and enhanced susceptibility to oxidative damage. Mutations in this gene that impair enzyme activity may be associated with prostate cancer in human patients. Protein function: 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. Depending on the context, it inserts the correct base, but causes frequent base transitions, transversions and frameshifts. Lacks 3'-5' proofreading exonuclease activity. Forms a Schiff base with 5'-deoxyribose phosphate at abasic sites, but does not have lyase activity. [The UniProt Consortium]