The effect of ultraviolet radiation on a cell line established from the warm water fish Tilapia has been assessed by measuring the rate of DNA synthesis, excision repair, post-replication repair and cell survival. The cells tolerate ultraviolet radiation better than mammalian cells with respect to DNA synthesis, post-replication repair and cell survival. They are also efficient in excision repair, which in other fish cell lines has been found to be at a low level or absent. Their response to

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... inhibitors hydroxyurea and 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine is less sensitive than that of other cell lines, yet the cells seem to have very small pools of DNA precursor.