The Schizosaccharomyces pombe AlkB homolog Abh1 exhibits AP lyase activity but no demethylase activity

► E. coli AlkB protects fission yeast cells toward alkylation induced cytotoxicity. ► No demethylase activity was found for the S. pombe AlkB homolog Abh1. ► Abh1 exhibits weak AP lyase activity.