A photon of UV light causes mutations in the double-stranded DNA via a photochemical reaction. The product of such photochemical reaction in DNA is a cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer. Dimers may be repaired by mechanisms of photoreactivation or nucleotide excision repair (NER), but if the repair doesn’t occur dimers are mutagenic.
UV light is absorbed by a double bond in pyrimidine bases (thymine and cytosine in DNA). The bond is opened and UV-modified base can now react with neighbouring molecules. If neighbouring molecule is another pyrimidine base, the UV-modified base forms direct covalent bonds with it. A cyclic ring (cyclobutane), not normally found in DNA, is formed (links the two pyrimidines). Next step is forming a single bond between two carbon atoms on the rings.The product of this reaction is a 6-4 molecule pyrimidine-pyrimidone which is more mutagenic than cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers.