Inducible error-prone repair in B. subtilis. Progress report, September 1, 1978-August 31, 1979. [Role in mutagenesis]

Technical Report · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1979

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5774746· OSTI ID:5774746

Yasbin, R E

The mechanism of activation and the mode of action of the SOS system in the bacterium Bacillus subtilis is under study. Interesting aspects of the SOS system in B. subtilis are: (1) the differences between SOS functions in this bacterium and in the enteric bacteria; (2) the spontaneous activation of SOS functions in component cells; and (3) the difficulty in obtaining consistent results for mutation studies in this bacterium. In order to characterize the SOS system of B. subtilis, it was proposed to: (1) isolate bacteria mutated in genes controlling various repair function; (2) investigate inducible repair; (3) determine the role of endogeneous Bacillus prophages in SOS functions; and (4) develop a tester system for potential carcinogens from competent Bacillus subtilis cells. Research has been able to: (1) isolate strains of B. subtilis in which the endogeneous prophages have been removed or neutralized; (2) demonstrate the association of one SOS function with prophage SPB; (3) demonstrate that the survival of uv-irradiated B. subtilis is not significantly altered by the removal and neutralization of the endogeneous prophages; (4) develop competant B. subtilis into a tester system; and (5) show that DNA polymerase III is absolutely necessary for W reactivation. In addition, uv and mitomycin C resistant mutants have been isolated and inducible postreplication repair in excision-repair deficient mutants of B. subtilis has been studied. The last two results are somewaht confusing but highly exciting in regards to DNA repair mechanisms in B. subtilis.

• Research Organization: Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park (USA). Dept. of Microbiology and Cell Biology
• Sponsoring Organization: US Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA)
• OSTI ID: 5774746
• Report Number(s): COO-4964-1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANTIBIOTICS
ANTIMITOTIC DRUGS
BACILLUS
BACILLUS SUBTILIS
BACTERIA
BACTERIOPHAGES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RECOVERY
BIOLOGICAL REPAIR
CORRELATIONS
DATA
DATA FORMS
DNA
DRUGS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ENZYMES
ERRORS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
GENETIC EFFECTS
GENETIC RADIATION EFFECTS
INFORMATION
ISOLATED VALUES
MICROORGANISMS
MITOMYCIN
MUTAGENESIS
MUTATIONS
NUCLEIC ACIDS
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PARASITES
POLYMERASES
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
RADIOINDUCTION
RADIOSENSITIVITY EFFECTS
RECOVERY
REPAIR
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
VIRUSES