Endonuclease VIII from E. coli has dual functions as an N-glycosylase and an AP-lyase. It removes damaged pyrimidines from double-stranded DNA to create an AP site. The AP-lyase activity then cleaves at this site, resulting in a 5′ phosphate and a 3′ phosphate. This enzyme targets damaged bases like thymine glycol and uracil glycol. Unlike Endonuclease III, which only has β lyase activity, Endonuclease VIII also exhibits δ lyase activity, enabling it to address a broader range of DNA damage.