The role of DNA repair in transformation was investigated by infecting repair-deficient xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) variant cells, XP variant heterozygous cells, and normal human fibroblasts with simian virus 40 which had been irradiated by ultraviolet light. The transformation frequencies obtained were compared to those observed for unirradiated virus. While normal and heterozygous cells showed no differences between transformation frequencies using either irradiated or untreated virus, two XP variant cell lines were transformed 2- to 7-fold more readily with irradiated virus than with unirradiated virus. XP variant cells were also found to produce lower than normal quantities of virus following infection with either damages or undamaged virus, suggesting that increased viral production was not contributing to the increased transformation seen for these cells. Finally, the proportion of cells which repair ultraviolet light-irradiated simian virus 40 was found to be similar for wild-type and XP variant cells, suggesting that enhanced transformation in the mutant cells was not associated with a reduction in the numbers of cells which repair damaged virus. Several possible mechanisms to account for the increased transformation of XP variant cells by ultraviolet light-irradiated simian virus 40 are proposed.