DNA repair and the evolution of transformation in Bacillus subtilis. 3. Sex with damaged DNA

Journal Article · Sat Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991 · Genetics; (United States)

OSTI ID:5318960

Hoelzer, M A; Michod, R E ^[1]

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1. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson (USA)

Natural genetic transformation in the bacterium Bacillus subtilis provides an experimental system for studying the evolutionary function of sexual recombination. The repair hypothesis proposes that during transformation the exogenous DNA taken up by cells is used as template for recombinational repair of damages in the recipient cell's genome. Earlier results demonstrated that the population density of transformed cells (i.e., sexual cells) increases, relative to nontransformed cells (primarily asexual cells), with increasing dosage of ultraviolet irradiation, provided that the cells are transformed with undamaged homologous DNA after they have become damaged. In nature, however, donor DNA for transformation is likely to come from cells that are as damaged as the recipient cells. In order to better simulate the effects of transformation in natural populations we conducted similar experiments as those just described using damaged donor DNA. The authors document in this report that transformants continue to increase in relative density even if they are transformed with damaged donor DNA. These results suggest that sites of transformation are often damaged sites in the recipient cell's genome.

• OSTI ID: 5318960
• Journal Information: Genetics; (United States), Journal Name: Genetics; (United States) Vol. 128:2; ISSN 0016-6731; ISSN GENTA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560130* -- Radiation Effects on Microorganisms
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
BACILLUS
BACILLUS SUBTILIS
BACTERIA
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RECOVERY
BIOLOGICAL REPAIR
DNA REPAIR
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
GENE RECOMBINATION
GENETIC EFFECTS
GENETIC RADIATION EFFECTS
MATHEMATICS
MICROORGANISMS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
RECOVERY
REGRESSION ANALYSIS
REPAIR
STATISTICS
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION