Involved in repair of UV radiation-induced DNA damage. Catalyzes the light-dependent monomerization (300-600 nm) of cyclobutyl pyrimidine dimers (in cis-syn configuration), which are formed between adjacent bases on the same DNA strand upon exposure to ultraviolet radiation
The enzymes which catalyze the reversible phosphorolysis of pyrimidine nucleosides are involved in the degradation of these compounds and in their utilization as carbon and energy sources, or in the rescue of pyrimidine bases for nucleotide synthesis