Base excision repair (BER) proteins can be modified by SUMO.
Both S. cerevisiae Ntg1 and human NTHL1 can be sumoylated.
Five lysines are identified as the sites of SUMO modification in Ntg1.
An Ntg1 variant that cannot be modified by SUMO is generated.
Cells where Ntg1 cannot be modified by SUMO fail to respond properly to DNA damage.