The molecular biology of environmental aromatic hydrocarbons

Technical Report · Fri Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1989

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6984813· OSTI ID:6984813

Weiss, S. B.

The induction of mutations in living cells by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) has been recognized for many years. Although the mechanism for this occurrence has been examined by numerous investigators, the precise nature and type of mutations induced is still unclear. Earlier investigations of DNA damage and repair were primarily examined by the random alkylation of bacterial and mammalian DNAs, in vivo, using a variety of different PAH agents. This procedure is still used today. Though informative, such studies have not offered any explanation of the mechanism by which PAH agents induce carcinogenesis. We have attempted to examine the repair of PAH-damaged DNA using small DNA oligomer constructs as targets for site-specific alkylation. DNA constructs containing a single BPDE alkylated site in each duplex strand were ligated into M13 RF DNA and used to transfect E. coli. Progeny M13 DNA was isolated from E. coli colonies grown on agar plates containing IPTG and Xgal. DNA sequence analysis of the isolated progeny M13 DNA, at the site of construct insertion, was found to contain large deletions and illegitimate recombinants. These sequence rearrangements occurred in either recA{sup +} or recA{sup -} host cells suggesting that SOS processing was not involved in the deletions and the recombinants observed. The mechanism by which BPDE induces illegitimate recombinants has not been resolved, however, it is possible that the closely spaced adducts activate the recombinant machinery in our DNA-damaged cells. 1 ref., 6 figs., 1 tab.

• Research Organization: Illinois Univ., Chicago, IL (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/ER
• DOE Contract Number: FG02-86ER60394
• OSTI ID: 6984813
• Report Number(s): DOE/ER/60394-2; ON: DE90009162
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
560300 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ADDUCTS
AROMATICS
BACTERIOPHAGES
BENZOPYRENE
BIOLOGICAL RECOVERY
BIOLOGICAL REPAIR
CONDENSED AROMATICS
DNA ADDUCTS
DNA REPAIR
DOCUMENT TYPES
GENE MUTATIONS
GENE RECOMBINATION PROTEINS
HYDROCARBONS
MICROORGANISMS
MUTATIONS
NUCLEIC ACIDS
NUCLEOPROTEINS
OLIGONUCLEOTIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PARASITES
PROGRESS REPORT
PROTEINS
RECOVERY
REPAIR
VIRUSES