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Nitrous acid induced damage in T7 DNA and phage

Journal Article · · Fed. Proc., Fed. Am. Soc. Exp. Biol.; (United States)
OSTI ID:5144947

The response of bacteriophage T7 to nitrous acid damage was investigated. The T7 system allows in vitro mimicry of most aspects of in vivo DNA metabolism. Nitrous acid is of special interest since it has been previously shown to induce deletions and point mutations as well as novel adducts in DNA. T7 phage was exposed to 56 mM nitrous acid at pH 4.6 in vivo, causing a time dependent 98% decrease in survival for each 10 min duration of exposure to nitrous acid. These studies were extended to include examination of pure T7 DNA exposed in vitro to nitrous acid conditions identical to those used in the in vivo survival studies. The treated DNA was dialyzed to remove the nitrous acid and the DNA was encapsulated into empty phage heads. These in vitro packaged phage showed a survival curve analogous to the in vivo system. There was no change in survival when either in vitro or in vivo exposed phage were grown on wild type E. coli or on E. coli strains deficient in DNA repair due to mutations in DNA polymerase I, exonuclease III or a uvrA mutation. Survival was not increased when nitrous acid treated T7 were grown on E. coli induced for SOS repair. In vitro replication of nitrous acid treated DNA showed a time dependent decrease in the total amount of DNA synthesized.

Research Organization:
Temple Univ., Philadelphia, PA
OSTI ID:
5144947
Report Number(s):
CONF-8606151-
Journal Information:
Fed. Proc., Fed. Am. Soc. Exp. Biol.; (United States), Journal Name: Fed. Proc., Fed. Am. Soc. Exp. Biol.; (United States) Vol. 45:6; ISSN FEPRA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English