[The biological effect of Y-family DNA polymerases on the translesion synthesis].

A common DNA polymerase can replicate DNA which functions normally. However, if DNA suffers damage, the genome can not be replicated by a common DNA polymerase because DNA lesions will block the replication apparatus. Another kind of DNA polymerases in organism, Y-family DNA polymerases which is also called translesion synthesis (TLS) polymerases, can deal with this problem. Their main functions are bypassing the lesions in DNA, replicating the genome and saving the dying cells. This thesis presents a historical review of the literature pertinent to the structure, functions and roles of Y-family DNA polymerases.