Induction of mutations in bacteriophage T7 by gamma-rays: independence of host-repair mechanisms

Amber mutants of bacteriophage T7 are reverted by gamma-rays to pseudo wild-type particles, i.e. particles able to propagate in a suppressorless host. The yield of revertants is much higher when the phage is irradiated in the presence of oxygen than when irradiated anoxically. Under particular gas c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inMutation research Vol. 43; no. 3; p. 313
Main Authors Bleichrodt, J F, Roos, A L, Roos-Verheij, W S
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Netherlands 01.06.1977
Subjects
Cobalt Radioisotopes
Codon
Coliphages - metabolism
Coliphages - radiation effects
DNA Polymerase I - biosynthesis
DNA Repair
DNA, Viral - biosynthesis
Escherichia coli - enzymology
Escherichia coli - metabolism
Gamma Rays
Mutation
Oxygen
Suppression, Genetic
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Summary:Amber mutants of bacteriophage T7 are reverted by gamma-rays to pseudo wild-type particles, i.e. particles able to propagate in a suppressorless host. The yield of revertants is much higher when the phage is irradiated in the presence of oxygen than when irradiated anoxically. Under particular gas conditions the efficiency of mutation induction differs by less than a factor of ten among six different amber codons in cistrons 1, 5, 6, 12, 17 and 19. The induction of mutations is not dependent on error-prone repair involving the recA or lexA genes of the host cell. It is estimated that of the damages that may be inflicted by gamma-rays upon an amber codon, fewer than 1 out of 85 results in reversion of the codon to pseudo wild-type.
ISSN:0027-5107
DOI:10.1016/0027-5107(77)90055-0