Inducible error-prone repair in B. subtilis. Progress report, September 1, 1981-April 30, 1983

Technical Report · Wed Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1982

OSTI ID:6602790

Yasbin, R E

Considerable progress has been made on determining the mechanisms of mutagenesis in B. subtilis and on elucidating the interactions between DNA repair systems and mutagenesis in this bacterium. Specifically, the B. subtilis W-reactivation system has been shown to involve a damage-specific (pyrimidine dimer) repair mechanism which may or may not be error-free. On the other hand, error-prone repair (as defined by the ability of cells to be mutated by low doses of uv) has been definitively established in this bacterium. The investigation of the genes controlling the error-prone repair system has revealed that uv mutagenesis is significantly decreased in cells carrying the recG13 mutation. In addition, cells lacking a functional excision repair system are hypermutable to EMS, although these cells are not hypersensitive to the killing activity of EMS. Both EMS and uv generate the same spectrum of mutants (reversions vs suppressors); however, cells lacking a functional excision repair system apparently generate more suppressor mutations when exposed to uv as compared to the other strains tested. A genomic library for B. subtilis has been established. This library will be specifically used to isolate a cloned fragment of DNA which codes for the major subunit of the Bacillus DNA polymerase III. However, this bank can also be used to isolate Bacillus genes which control most of the repair functions. Furthermore, we have begun the process of cloning the E. coli phr/sup +/ gene in to B. subtilis.

• Research Organization: Rochester Univ., NY (USA). Dept. of Microbiology
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-81ER60017
• OSTI ID: 6602790
• Report Number(s): DOE/ER/60017-1; ON: DE83004521
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550400 -- Genetics
560131* -- Radiation Effects on Microorganisms-- Basic Studies-- (-1987)
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
BACILLUS
BACILLUS SUBTILIS
BACTERIA
BIOLOGICAL RECOVERY
BIOLOGICAL REPAIR
DNA
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EMS
ESTERS
GENES
MICROORGANISMS
MUTAGENESIS
MUTAGENS
NUCLEIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
RADIATIONS
RECOVERY
REPAIR
SULFONIC ACID ESTERS
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION