The RAD₄ gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is essential for the incision step of UV-induced excision repair. We demonstrate direct evidence for the existence of RAD₄ gene in Schizosaccharomyces pombe as well for the first time. RNA isolated from wild type S. pombe cells strongly cross-hybridized with the 1.2 Kb PvuII DNA fragment of the S. cereviae RAD₄ genomic clone (pPC1). Chromosomal DNA isolated from S. pombe had similar restriction pattern to that from S. cerevisiae, as determined by Southern blot analysis. Two species of mRNA, 3.1 and 1.8 Kb in size, were identified by Northern hybridization. However, the level of these transcripts did not increase upon UV-irradiation, suggesting that the RAD₄-like gene in S. pombe is not UV-inducible.