Biochemical reconstitution and genetic characterization of the major oxidative damage base excision DNA repair pathway in Thermococcus kodakarensis

•Archaeal GO glycosylase (AGOG) is a major 8-oxo-dG repair enzyme in the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakarensis.•AGOG is non-essential for viability in Thermococcus kodakarensis suggesting redundant pathways for oxidative DNA damage repair.•TkoEndoIV is essential for viability in Thermococcus kodakarensis and is important for 8-oxo-dG repair and base excision repair.•Archaeal 8-oxo-dG repair was reconstituted in vitro using AGOG, EndoIV, DNA polymerase, Fen1 and DNA ligase.