Mutagenicity of a unique thymine-thymine dimer or thymine-thymine pyrimidine pyrimidone (6-4) photoproduct in mammalian cells

The mutagenic properties of UV-induced photoproducts, both the cis-syn thymine-thymine dimer (TT) and the thymine-thymine pyrimidine pyrimidone (6-4) photoproduct [T(6-4)T] were studied in mammalian cells using shuttle vectors. A shuttle vector able to replicate in both mammalian cells and bacteria was produced in its single-stranded DNA form. A unique photoproduct was inserted at a single restriction site and after recircularization of the single-stranded DNA vector, this latter was transfected into simian COS7 cells. After DNA replication the vector was extracted from cells and used to transform bacteria. Amplified DNA was finally analyzed without any selective screening, DNA from randomly picked bacterial colonies being directly sequenced. Our results show clearly that both lesions are mutagenic, but at different levels. Mutation frequencies of 2 and 60% respectively were observed with the TT dimer and the T(6-4)T. With the TT dimer the mutations were targeted on the 3'-T. With the T(6-4)T a large variety of mutations were observed. A majority of G-->T transversions were semi-targeted to the base before the 5'-T of the photoproduct. These kinds of mutations were not observed when the same plasmid was transfected directly into SOS-induced JM105 bacteria or when the T(6-4)T oligonucleotide inserted in a different plasmid was replicated in SOS-induced SMH10 Escherichia coil bacteria. These semi-targeted mutations are therefore the specific result of bypass of the T(6-4)T lesion in COS7 cells by one of the eukaryotic DNA polymerases.

Substitution of mucAB or rumAB for umuDC alters the relative frequencies of the two classes of mutations induced by a site-specific T-T cyclobutane dimer and the efficiency of translesion DNA synthesis

We have examined the effect of replacing umuDC with mucAB or rumAB on the mutagenic properties of a T-T cyclobutane dimer in an attempt to determine the molecular basis for the differences in UV-induced mutagenesis that are associated with these structurally and functionally related genes. A single-stranded vector carrying a site-specific T-T cis-syn cyclobutane dimer was transfected into a set of isogenic Escherichia coli delta umuDC strains harboring low-copy-number plasmids expressing UmuDC, MucAB, RumAB, or their genetically engineered and mutagenically active counterparts UmuD'C, MucA'B, and RumA'B, respectively. Although the overall mutation frequency was similar for all strains, the relative frequencies of the two classes of mutation induced by the T-T dimer varied according to the mutagenesis operon expressed. In umuDC strains, 3' T-->A mutations outnumbered 3' T-->C mutations, but the reverse was true for the mucAB and rumAB strains. We also found that the T-T dimer was bypassed with differing efficiencies in unirradiated cells expressing wild-type UmuDC, MucAB, and RumAB proteins. These differences can probably be attributed to the relative efficiency of the normal cellular posttranslational activation of UmuD, MucA, and RumA, respectively, since recombinant constructs expressing the mutagenically active UmuD'C, MucA'B, and RumA'B proteins all promoted similarly high levels of bypass in UV-irradiated cells. These results suggest that the UmuD'/UmuC complex and its homologs may differ in their relative abilities to promote elongation from T - T and T - G mismatched termini. Alternatively, they may differentially influence the efficiency with which these mismatches are edited or influence nucleotide insertion by the catalytic subunit of the DNA polymerase III.

Complete replication of plasmid DNA containing a single UV-induced lesion in human cell extracts

To investigate the effect of the major UV-induced lesions on SV40 origin-dependent DNA replication and mutagenesis in a mammalian cell extract, double-stranded plasmids containing a single cis,syn-cyclobutane dimer or a pyrimidine-pyrimidone (6-4) photoproduct at a unique TT sequence have been constructed. These plasmids have been used as templates in DNA replication-competent extracts from human HeLa cells. Plasmids containing a single pyrimidine cyclobutane dimer on the potential lagging strand for DNA replication are replicated with an efficiency approximately equal to that of an unmodified plasmid. A small decrease in replication efficiency of approximately 20% was observed when the lesion was located on the potential leading strand for DNA replication. In both orientations, DpnI-resistant, replicated closed circular plasmid DNA was sensitive to nicking by the pyrimidine dimer-specific enzyme, T4 endonuclease V, indicating that complete replication of the damaged plasmid occurs in vitro. In contrast, a (6-4) photoproduct, within the same site and sequence context on the lagging strand for DNA synthesis, inhibits replication in vitro by an average of approximately 50%, indicating that the mammalian replication complex responds differently to the two major UV-induced lesions during DNA replication in vitro. Analysis of the DpnI-resistant, replicated DNA for mutations targeted to the lesion site indicates that neither of these lesions resulted in significant mutagenesis. UV-induced lesions at TT sites may therefore be poorly mutagenic under these conditions for DNA replication in human cell extracts in vitro.

Novel mutagenic properties of abasic sites in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Abasic sites are particularly important in mutation research because they are frequently the ultimate lesion in chemical mutagenesis, and because they are believed to be a paradigm for non-pairing lesions. Although preferential insertion of dAMP ("A-rule") opposite the lesion has been observed in almost all previous studies with other organisms, we find that in budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the preferred nucleotide is dCMP, suggesting that yeast has a "C-rule", at least with respect to the vector constructs used. These constructs contained a single abasic site specifically located within a 28 nucleotide single-stranded region in an otherwise duplex vector. Nucleotide insertions were determined by sequence analysis of replicated vectors taken from a random set of yeast transformants. In three different sequence contexts, the frequencies of dCMP and dAMP insertion were 83% and 13%, 62% and 31%, and 85% and 8%, respectively. A similar bias in favor of cytosine insertion was found using vectors that were entirely single-stranded. However, a preference for dAMP insertion was found when Escherichia coli, rather than yeast, was transfected with samples of the same gapped duplex vector DNA. Preferential insertion of dCMP is not likely to have arisen by previously proposed mechanisms, but is also unlikely to have occurred by a primer/template misalignment mechanism, in which a nearby template guanine directs the insertion of cytosine. Predominant dCMP insertion was observed even when template guanine bases were excluded from a region extending 19 nucleotides 5', and 13 nucleotides 3', to the abasic site.

The T-T pyrimidine (6-4) pyrimidinone UV photoproduct is much less mutagenic in yeast than in Escherichia coli

We have examined the mutagenic properties of the T-T pyrimidine (6-4) pyrimidinone UV photoproduct in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, transforming the yeast cells either with single-stranded vectors that carried this adduct at a unique site or with gapped duplex vectors in which the adduct was located within a 28 nt single-stranded region. In an earlier study with SOS-induced Escherichia coli, we found that this photoproduct is highly mutagenic, specifically generating 3' T-->C substitutions in >85% of replicated molecules, and ascribed this specificity to the formation of a stable guanine-pyrimidinone mispair via hydrogen bonds at N-3 and O-2. In contrast, this adduct is very much less mutagenic in yeast, with 60-70% of molecules being replicated accurately and only 12-20% of them exhibiting 3' T-->C substitutions. The enhanced accuracy may reflect the ability of a yeast DNA polymerase, but not E.coli DNA polymerase III, to trap the adduct in a configuration favorable for the formation of an adenine-pyrimidinone base pair.

Cloning and sequence of REV7, a gene whose function is required for DNA damage-induced mutagenesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The function of the REV7 gene is required for DNA damage-induced mutagenesis in budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and is therefore thought to promote replication past sites of mutagen damage in the DNA template. We have cloned this gene by complementation of the rev7-2 mutant defect, and determined its sequence. REV7 encodes a predicted protein of M(r) 28,759 which is unlikely any other protein in the NCBI non-redundant protein sequence data base, and which is inessential for viability.

Accuracy of replication past the T-C (6-4) adduct

The thymine-cytosine pyrimidine-pyrimidone (6-4) adduct has variously been predicted to be among the most and among the least mutagenic of the ultraviolet light photoproducts. We have therefore investigated the frequency and accuracy of DNA replication past this lesion, using a single-stranded M13mp7-based vector with a uniquely located example of this lesion transfected into SOS-induced and uninduced cells of a uvr A6 strain of Escherichia coli. Both the UVC T-C (6-4) adduct and its Dewar valence (UVB) photoisomer were studied. Random samples from non-selective collections of progeny phage were sequenced to determine the nature of the replication events that occurred at or near the site of template damage under SOS conditions. The UVC (6-4) adduct was found to be much less mutagenic than its T-T counterpart, but still much more mutagenic than a cyclobutane dimer; 34% (71 out of 206) of all bypass events yielded mutations, of which all were targeted and 80% (57 out of 71) were 3' C-->T transitions. The Dewar valence photoisomer exhibited reduced specificity and enhanced mutagenicity; 79% (183 out of 233) of the phage progeny were mutants, of which all but one were targeted and 45% (83 out of 183) were 3' C-->T transitions. For the most part, these results are consistent with a model postulating base-pairing between the pyrimidinone (of either the C or T variety) and guanine, via hydrogen bonds at N-3 and O-2 in the UVC, but not the Dewar, isomer. The occurrence of the 3' C-->T transitions, not predicted by this model, shows however that the absence of a methyl group at C-5 also has a significant influence on mutation induction. Both isomers were efficient blocks to replication; less than 1% of these vectors could be replicated in uninduced cells. Following SOS induction the frequency of bypass increased to 24.5% and 12.5% for the UVC and the Dewar isomers, respectively.

Repair by human cell extracts of single (6-4) and cyclobutane thymine-thymine photoproducts in DNA

One cis-syn cyclobutane thymine dimer or one (6-4) thymine-thymine photoproduct was built into an identical sequence of a closed-circular M13 duplex DNA, and nucleotide excision repair synthesis carried out by human cell extracts in the area containing each lesion was determined. Extracts from normal cells repaired the (6-4) photoproduct with a patch size of approximately 20-30 nucleotides, but repair was at least 10-fold lower at the cyclobutane dimer. The (6-4) lesion was repaired with comparable efficiency to a single acetylamino-fluorene-guanine adduct in a similar location. Extract from nucleotide excision repair-deficient xeroderma pigmentosum group A cells could not remove any of these adducts but could complete repair of the lesions after incision with Escherichia coli UvrABC proteins. This direct comparison of repair of two UV photoproducts, in an in vitro system where chromatin assembly and transcription are absent, suggests that the more rapid repair of the (6-4) lesion observed in the mammalian cell genome overall is due in part to a significant difference in the ability of the repair complex to locate and incise these lesions in DNA.

U-U and T-T cyclobutane dimers have different mutational properties

We have examined the mutagenic properties in E. coli of single stranded vectors containing a uniquely placed cis-syn or trans-syn uracil-uracil cyclobutane dimer in the sequence 5' GCAAGUUGGAG 3', and compared these with the properties of the corresponding T-T dimers in the same sequence context. The frequencies with which U-U and T-T photoproducts were bypassed were similar in SOS induced cells, and each induced similar frequencies of mutations. However, although both U-U and T-T cis-syn dimers showed a preference for misincorporation in about 5-7% of the replication products, with T or G being incorporated in place of A, the ratios of these events differed, being > 4:1 for T-T cis-syn, but only 2:1 for U-U cis-syn. A shift towards G insertion opposite dimerized uracil was also found with the trans-syn dimers, but the difference was greater; T and G were misincorporated opposite the U-U trans-syn dimer in a ratio of 1:2, compared with 4:1 for its T-T counterpart. In addition, the U-U dimer induced only nucleotide substitutions, unlike the T-T photoproduct which induced single nucleotide deletions as well as substitutions. We conclude that even relatively minor differences in photoproduct structure, such as the presence of a methyl group at C-5, can alter mutational properties, and that such properties cannot depend only on the attributes of the DNA polymerase. Neither the efficiency of bypass, the error frequency nor the mutation spectrum of either U-U isomer is influenced by DNA uracil glycosylase. In vitro, the U-U cis-syn dimer is a substrate for DNA photolyase, but not for the glycosylase.

Human non-secretory ribonucleases. I. Purification, peptide mapping and lectin blotting analysis of the kidney, liver and spleen enzymes

Human non-secretory neutral ribonucleases (RNases) from kidney, liver and spleen have been purified and characterized. SDS-PAGE indicates that all three RNases are highly purified and have apparent mol. wts of 17-18 kDa. Kinetic analysis indicates that all three RNases have a broad pH optimum centred around 6.5, and all three have similar substrate specificities with significant preference for RNA and poly(U) when compared to poly(C), poly(A) and poly(G). All of the above data, as well as immunoblotting data using three polyclonal antibodies (anti-human liver RNase, anti-human pancreatic RNase, anti-human eosinophil-derived neurotoxin), indicate that the three proteins are highly purified and are non-secretory RNases (IIN). Further characterization by cyanogen bromide peptide mapping and extensive lectin blotting indicated no significant differences between the three human RNases. All three RNases appear to have very similar, if not identical, protein backbones and all three are glycoproteins which are recognized by lectins with specificity for GlcNAc, Fuc and, to a lesser extent, with specificity for Gal beta(1-4)GlcNAc. No significant tissue-specific differences were found among the three human non-secretory RNases.

Human non-secretory ribonucleases. II. Structural characterization of the N-glycans of the kidney, liver and spleen enzymes by NMR spectroscopy and electrospray mass spectrometry

The N-glycans have been removed by peptide-N-glycosidase F (PNGase F) from purified human non-secretory RNases derived from kidney, liver and spleen. The spleen RNase was purified by two procedures, one of which did not include the usual acid treatment step (0.25 M H2SO4, 45 min, 4 degrees C), to determine if acid treatment alters the carbohydrate moieties. The N-glycans of the RNases were fractionated by Bio-Gel P-4 chromatography and analysed by 600 MHz 1H-NMR spectroscopy and electrospray mass spectrometry. All four non-secretory RNase preparations contained the following structures: [formula: see text] The relative amounts of the trisaccharide, pentasaccharide and hexasaccharide appeared to vary slightly in the different tissue RNases. The overall results indicate: (i) that acid treatment during purification does not alter the N-glycans of non-secretory RNases; (ii) that the N-glycans from kidney, liver and spleen non-secretory RNases are very similar, if not identical, to one another, but different from the N-glycan structures reported for secretory RNase.

The frequency and accuracy of replication past a thymine-thymine cyclobutane dimer are very different in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Escherichia coli

We have compared the mutagenic properties of a T-T cyclobutane dimer in baker's yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, with those in Escherichia coli by transforming each of these species with the same single-stranded shuttle vector carrying either the cis-syn or the trans-syn isomer of this UV photoproduct at a unique site. The mutagenic properties investigated were the frequency of replicational bypass of the photoproduct, the error rate of bypass, and the mutation spectrum. In SOS-induced E. coli, the cis-syn dimer was bypassed in approximately 16% of the vector molecules, and 7.6% of the bypass products had targeted mutations. In S. cerevisiae, however, bypass occurred in about 80% of these molecules, and the bypass was at least 19-fold more accurate (approximately 0.4% targeted mutations). Each of these yeast mutations was a single unique event, and none were like those in E. coli, suggesting that in fact the difference in error rate is much greater. Bypass of the trans-syn dimer occurred in about 17% of the vector molecules in both species, but with this isomer the error rate was higher in S. cerevisiae (21 to 36% targeted mutations) than in E. coli (13%). However, the spectra of mutations induced by the latter photoproduct were virtually identical in the two organisms. We conclude that bypass and error frequencies are determined both by the structure of the photoproduct-containing template and by the particular replication proteins concerned but that the types of mutations induced depend predominantly on the structure of the template. Unlike E. coli, bypass in S. cerevisiae did not require UV-induced functions.

Mutagenesis induced by single UV photoproducts in E. coli and yeast

Data from experiments with single-stranded vectors that carry a site-specific cyclobutane dimer, pyrimidine (6-4) pyrimidone adduct, or abasic lesion, replicated in either E. coli or, in some cases, bakers' yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, are used to examine two questions: (i) what factors are responsible for the lesion's mutagenicity? and (ii) what are the relative contributions of different photoproducts to the spectrum of UV-induced mutations? With respect to the first question, we suggest that the structure of the mutagen-modified template itself largely determines the kinds of mutations induced, but the relative frequencies of these mutations, the error frequency, and the bypass frequency are strongly dependent on the particular organism studied. With respect to the second question, we suggest that cyclobutane dimers may be responsible for most of the mutations in slowly replicating genomes because of the deamination of cytosine, and that the T-T, and to a lesser extent the T-C, (6-4) adducts play a greater role in the UV mutagenesis of quickly replicating viruses, such as M13 and lambda phage.

The REV3 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is transcriptionally regulated more like a repair gene than one encoding a DNA polymerase

We measured the relative steady-state levels of the mRNA transcribed from the Saccharomyces cerevisiae REV3 gene in cells at different stages of the mitotic and meiotic cycles, and after UV irradiation. This gene is thought to encode a DNA polymerase concerned only with a specific recovery function, the replication on mutagen-damaged templates that produces damaged-induced mutations. In keeping with this proposed function, the REV3 gene showed no evidence of the periodic transcription at the G1/S boundary of the mitotic and meiotic cycle that occurs with genes encoding replication enzymes. However, levels of REV3 mRNA were much increased in late meiotic cells, like those of transcripts of some other DNA repair-related genes. Steady-state levels of REV3 transcript were increased only slightly in response to UV irradiation.

The thymine-thymine pyrimidine-pyrimidone(6-4) ultraviolet light photoproduct is highly mutagenic and specifically induces 3' thymine-to-cytosine transitions in Escherichia coli

We have constructed single-stranded, M13-based vectors that contain a specifically located thymine-thymine pyrimidine-pyrimidone(6-4) UV photoproduct and have used these to estimate the frequency and accuracy of DNA replication past this adduct in uvrA6 cells of Escherichia coli. Both the normal and the Dewar valence photoisomer of the (6-4) adduct were studied. In the absence of SOS induction, vectors carrying the photoproducts were rarely replicated; relative to the lesion-free control, 1.9% of vectors carrying the normal (6-4) isomer produced plaques, and with the Dewar valence isomer the proportion was 0.4%. In SOS-induced cells, these frequencies rose to 22.1% and 12.3%, respectively. The error frequency of replication past the normal isomer in SOS-induced cells was high; in a random sample of 185 progeny phage analyzed, 169 (91%) contained mutations, all of which were targeted. Equally striking, a high proportion of the mutations (158/169; 93%) were of only one type, namely 3' T----C transitions. Both the error frequency and the specificity were much reduced with the Dewar valence isomer; overall, 74/140 (53%) of the phage analyzed were mutant, and of these only 34 (46%) entailed the 3' T----C transition. We speculate that the high error frequency and specificity arise from the formation of a stable T-G base pair, involving hydrogen bonds at O-2 and N-3 in the pyrimidone ring. Potential hydrogen bonds at these sites are coplanar in the normal but not in the Dewar isomer, perhaps explaining the reduced specificity of mutagenesis with the latter adduct.

T-T cyclobutane dimers are misinstructive, rather than non-instructive, mutagenic lesions

The lesions produced by SOS-dependent mutagens in Escherichia coli are commonly referred to as nonpairing or non-instructive. Although these terms are likely to be appropriate for some lesions, particularly the abasic site, for others, such as the cyclobutane dimer, their suitability is open to question. To address this question, we have compared the error frequencies and spectra that result when a uniquely located T-T sequence, carried in a single-stranded vector, contains either a cis-syn or a trans-syn cyclobutane dimer, or when either the 5'T or 3'T is converted to an abasic site. The data suggest that the high accuracy with which the dimer-containing templates are replicated is unlikely to be the consequence of polymerase preference for the non-instructive insertion of dAMP. Similarly, mispairing, rather than non-pairing, is likely to cause mutations. Cyclobutane dimers seem therefore to be misinstructive rather than non-instructive lesions, and the common feature shared by SOS-inducing lesions is more their ability to block replication than inability to form correct base pairs.

Mutation frequency and spectrum resulting from a single abasic site in a single-stranded vector

We have investigated the mutagenic properties of an abasic site in DNA by transfecting SOS-induced and uninduced cells of E. coli with a single-stranded M13mp7-based vector that carries a single example of this lesion at one or other of two unique and adjacent sites. Random samples of progeny phage were sequenced to determine the nature of the replication events that occurred at and around these locations. 5% to 7% of the vectors could be replicated in SOS-induced cells, but only 0.1% to 0.7% of them gave plaques in the absence of SOS induction. In SOS-induced cells, 93% and 96% of the phage replicated resulted from the insertion of a nucleotide opposite the abasic site, while the remainder resulted from a targeted omission of a single nucleotide. At one of the sites, nucleotide insertions were 54% dAMP, 25% dTMP, 20% dGMP and 1% dCMP. At the other site they were 80% dAMP, 4% dTMP, 15% dGMP and 1% dCMP. The sequence variation in all but two of the 204 sequences analyzed was restricted to the abasic site itself. In the remaining two, a change at the abasic site was accompanied by a mutation at an immediately flanking nucleotide.

SOS-dependent replication past a single trans-syn T-T cyclobutane dimer gives a different mutation spectrum and increased error rate compared with replication past this lesion in uninduced cells

We have transfected SOS-induced and uninduced cells of a uvrA6 strain of Escherichia coli with single-stranded M13mp7-based vectors that carried a single trans-syn T-T cyclobutane dimer at a unique site. Unlike constructs carrying the cis-syn isomer of this lesion, these vectors could be replicated with modest efficiency (14%) in the absence of SOS induction and therefore provided an opportunity to measure directly the influence of such induction on error rate and mutation spectrum. We found that translesion synthesis in the absence of SOS induction was remarkably accurate; only 4% of the replicated bacteriophage contained mutations, which were exclusively targeted single T deletions. In SOS-induced cells, error frequency increased to 11% and the resulting mutations included targeted substitutions and near-targeted single base additions, as well as the T deletions. Replication efficiency was 29% in these conditions. SOS induction therefore leads not only to an enhanced capacity to replicate damaged DNA but also to a marked change in mutation frequency and spectrum.

REV3, a Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene whose function is required for induced mutagenesis, is predicted to encode a nonessential DNA polymerase

We have cloned the REV3 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae by complementation of the rev3 defect in UV-induced mutagenesis. The nucleotide sequence of this gene encodes a predicted protein of Mr 172,956 showing significant sequence similarity to Epstein-Barr virus DNA polymerase and to other members of a class of DNA polymerases including human DNA polymerase alpha and yeast DNA polymerase I. REV3 protein shows less sequence identity, and presumably a more distant evolutionary relationship, to the latter two enzymes than they do to each other. Haploids carrying a complete deletion of REV3 are viable. We suggest that induced mutagenesis in S. cerevisiae depends on a specialized DNA polymerase that is not required for other replicative processes. REV3 is located 2.8 centimorgans from CDC60, on chromosome XVI.

Frequency and spectrum of mutations produced by a single cis-syn thymine-thymine cyclobutane dimer in a single-stranded vector

We have constructed a single-stranded vector that contains a uniquely located cis-syn T-T cyclobutane dimer by ligating a synthetic oligomer containing this UV photoproduct into M13mp7 viral DNA linearized with EcoRI. In the absence of SOS induction, transfection of a uvrA6 mutant of Escherichia coli with this vector gave very few progeny plaques, and the data imply that a single dimer blocks replication in at least 99.5% of the molecules. In vitro photoreactivation completely abolished this inhibition. Transfection of cells irradiated with UV at 4 J.m-2 to induce the SOS response gave 27% of the number of plaques found with a dimer-free control. Nucleotide sequence analysis of 529 progeny phage showed that translesion synthesis was usually accurate: the normal sequence was found in 93% of them. Where mutations occurred, all were targeted single-nucleotide substitutions, with approximately 90% being targeted at the 3' nucleotide of the lesion: of a total of 26 mutations, 15 were 3' T----A, 8 were 3' T----C, and 3 were 5' T----C. No T----G mutations were found. In addition to these results with the normal construct, data were also obtained from vectors in which the M13mp7 cloning site, which forms a hairpin in single-stranded DNA, was present 4 nucleotides on the 3' side of the T-T dimer. These hairpin-containing vectors gave a very similar mutation frequency (8% versus 7%) but altered mutation spectrum: all 12 mutations detected were 3' T----A transversions, a difference from the previous set of data that is significant (P = 0.03).

Ultraviolet light induces different spectra of lacI sequence changes in vegetative and conjugating cells of Escherichia coli

We have analyzed the nucleotide sequence changes responsible for mutations from lacIs to lacI- induced in ultraviolet light-irradiated, excision-deficient cells. Irradiated cells were either used as donors in the conjugational transfer of an F' lacIs plasmid to SOS-induced, excision-deficient recipients or allowed to continue vegetative growth. Although the types and proportions of premutagenic lesions are likely to have been very similar in these two circumstances, analysis of the sequence data shows that different spectra of mutations were induced. In vegetative cells there were about equal numbers of transitions and transversions, but transitions outnumbered transversions by about three to one in exconjugants. About 90% of the single nucleotide substitutions could be assigned to a bipyrimidine target sequence in both sets of data, but they differed with respect to the location of the substitution: more or less equal numbers were found at the 3' and 5' sites of the probable bipyrimidine target in vegetative cells, but in exconjugants over 80% were at the 3' site. It is also possible that mutations were targeted more commonly at T-C sequences in exconjugants than in vegetative cells, but the evidence for this is less secure. We conclude that these results reflect some dissimilarity between vegetative cells and exconjugants in the way damaged DNA is replicated or lesions tolerated, but the particular features of these processes responsible for the different mutational spectra have not yet been identified.

UmuC function is not essential for the production of all targeted lacI mutations induced by ultraviolet light

Up to a quarter or more of the normal yield of lacI- mutations could be induced by ultraviolet light in a uvrA6 umuC122:: Tn5 strain if they were detected by plating on 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-beta-D-galactoside medium, where all surviving cells can form colonies. Using phenyl beta-D-galactoside selection, which curtails post-irradiation growth, only low yields of mutations were induced. Nucleotide sequence analysis of 134 spontaneous and 145 ultraviolet light-induced mutations shows that broadly similar kinds of mutations were induced in the umuC mutant and its uvrA6 umuC+ counterpart. In particular, these data offer no reason for believing that most of the mutations induced in the umuC mutant were other than normal, targeted events. We conclude that UmuC function, rather than being essential, facilitates recovery and specifically, following the model of Bridges & Woodgate, that it facilitates the prompt resumption of chain elongation.

The isolation and characterization of ngm2, a mutation that affects nitrosoguanidine mutagenesis in yeast

We have isolated and characterized a new mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, carrying a single mutant allele that we designate ngm2-1, which is defective with respect to induced mutagenesis. This mutant was isolated by screening mutagenized clones for reduced frequencies of reversion of the his1-7 allele, induced by N-methyl-N-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine. As judged by the reversion of his1-7 and ilv1-92, ngm2-1 mutant strains are also deficient with respect to mutability induced by methyl methane sulfonate, ethyl methane sulfonate and, at least partially, by UV. UV-induced reversion of the ochre mutation arg4-17 and the frameshift mutation his4-38 was not much affected by ngm2-1, however. Like rev3 and rev7 mutations, ngm2-1 also has little influence on the reversion of the proline missense allele, cyc1-115. Ngm2-1 mutants are only at best very slightly more sensitive to the toxicity of the four mutagens used, and homozygous diploids sporulate normally.

The isolation and characterization of an alkylating-agent-sensitive yeast mutant, ngs1

We have isolated and characterized a mutant of baker's yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, carrying the new mutation, ngs1, which is sensitive to the toxic effects of monofunctional alkylating agents, but normal with respect to 254-nm ultraviolet light sensitivity. ngs1 mutants exhibited more or less normal reversion frequencies for his1-7 and ilv1-92 induced by each of these mutagens. The various sensitivities associated with ngs1 cosegregated and have been shown to be the result of a lesion in a single nuclear gene. Extracts of ngs1 and NGS1+ strains contained approximately equal levels of an activity that removes 3-methyladenine (3MA) and 7-methylguanine (7MG) from DNA in vitro. The mutation also depressed sporulation.