Bloom's syndrome uracil DNA glycosylase was highly purified from two non-transformed cell strains derived from individuals from different ethnic groups. Their properties were then compared to two different highly purified normal human uracil DNA glycosylases. A molecular mass of 37 kDa was observed for each of the four human enzymes as defined by gel-filtration column chromatography and by SDS-PAGE. Each of the 37 kDa proteins was identified as a uracil DNA glycosylase by electroelution from the SDS polyacrylamide gel, determination of glycosylase activity by in vitro biochemical assay and identification of the reaction product as free uracil by co-chromatography with authentic uracil. Bloom's syndrome enzymes differed substantially in their isoelectric point and were thermolabile as compared to the normal human enzymes. Bloom's syndrome enzymes displayed a different Km, Vmax and were strikingly insensitive to 5-fluorouracil and 5-bromouracil, pyrimidine analogues which drastically decreased the activity of the normal human enzymes. In particular, each Bloom's syndrome enzyme required 10-100-fold higher concentrations of each analogue to achieve comparable inhibition of enzyme activity. Potential mechanisms are considered through which an altered uracil DNA glycosylase characterizing this cancer-prone human genetic disorder may arise.