The consequences of PARP-1 disruption or inhibition on DNA single-strand break repair (SSBR) and radio-induced lethality were determined in synchronized, isogenic HeLa cells stably silenced or not for poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) (PARP-1(KD)) or XRCC1 (XRCC1(KD)). PARP-1 inhibition prevented XRCC1-YFP recruitment at sites of 405 nm laser micro irradiation, slowed SSBR 10-fold and triggered the accumulation of large persistent foci of GFP-PARP-1 and GFP-PCNA at photo damaged sites. These aggregates are presumed to hinder the recruitment of other effectors of the base excision repair (BER) pathway. PARP-1 silencing also prevented XRCC1-YFP recruitment but did not lengthen the lifetime of GFP-PCNA foci. Moreover, PARP-1(KD) and XRCC1(KD) cells in S phase completed SSBR as rapidly as controls, while SSBR was delayed in G1. Taken together, the data demonstrate that a PARP-1- and XRCC1-independent SSBR pathway operates when the short patch repair branch of the BER is deficient. Long patch repair is the likely mechanism, as GFP-PCNA recruitment at photo-damaged sites was normal in PARP-1(KD) cells. PARP-1 silencing elicited hyper-radiosensitivity, while radiosensitization by a PARP inhibitor reportedly occurs only in those cells treated in S phase. PARP-1 inhibition and deletion thus have different outcomes in terms of SSBR and radiosensitivity.