Summary
After purine staration the recombination proficient (Rec+) strains of E. coli K-12 tested were sensitized to inactivation by gamma-rays (Figs. 1–4). No such change was noted in the Rec− strains tested (Fig. 5). These results suggest that purine starvation may sensitize cells to ionizing radiation by inhibiting repair controlled by the recA, recB and recC genes.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adler, H. I., Hardigree, A. A.: Analysis of a gene controlling cell division and sensitivity to radiation in Escherichia coli. J. Bact. 87, 720–726 (1964).
Baptist, J. E., Haynes, R. H.: The effect of purine starvation on the UV-X-ray synergism in Escherichia coli. Abstracts, Fifth Ints. Cong. on Photobiology, Hanover, New Hampshire, p. 165 (1968).
Boyce, R. P., Tepper, M.: X-ray-induced single-strand breaks and joining of broken strands in superinfecting λ DNA in Escherichia coli lysogenic for λ. Virology 34, 344–351 (1968).
Clark, A. J.: The beginning of a genetic analysis of recombination proficiency. J. cell. Physiol. 70, Suppl. 1, 165–180 (1967).
— Chamberlain, M., Boyce, R. P., Howard-Flanders, P.: Abnormal metabolic response to ultraviolet light of a recombination deficient mutant of Escherichia coli K-12. J. molec. Biol. 19, 442–454 (1966).
— Margulies, A. D.: Isolation and characterization of recombination-deficient mutants of Escherichia coli K12. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 53, 451–459 (1965).
Cole, R. S.: Properties of F′ factor deoxyribonucleic acid transferred from ultraviolet irradiated donors: Photoreactivation in the recipient and the influence of recA, recB, recC and uvr genes. J. Bact. 106, 143–149 (1971).
Friesen, B. S., Iyer, P. S., Baptist, J. E., Meyn, R., Rodgers, J. M.: Glucose-induced to gamma-rays in Escherichia coli. Int. J. Radiat. Biol. 18, 159–172 (1970).
Ganesan, A. K., Smith, K. C.: Dark recovery processes in Escherichia coli irradiated with ultraviolet light. I. Effect of rec − mutations on liquid holding recovery. J. Bact. 96, 365–373 (1968).
Grdina, D. J.: Physiologically-induced changes in the repair of gamma-ray-induced signlestrand breaks in Escherichia coli K-12. Ph. D. Thesis, Univ. of Kansas (1971).
Howard-Flanders, P.: Genes that control DNA repair and genetic recombination in Escherichia coli. Advanc. biol. med. Phys. 12, 299–317 (1968).
— Boyce, R. P.: DNA repair and genetic recombination: Studies on mutants of Escherichia coli defective in these processes. Radiat. Res., Suppl. 6, 156–184 (1966).
— Theriot, L.: Three loci in Escherichia coli K-12 that control the excision of pryrimidine dimers and certain other mutagen products from DNA. Genetics 53, 1119–1136 (1966).
— Simson, E., Theriot, L.: A locus that controls filament formation and sensitivity to radiation in Escherichia coli K-12. Genetics 49, 237–246 (1964).
— Theriot, L.: Mutants of Escherichia coli K-12 defective in DNA repair and in genetic recombination. Genetics 53, 1137–1150 (1966).
— Stedeford, J. B.: Some properties of excision-defective recombination-d mutants of Escherichia coli K-12. J. Bact. 97, 1134–1141 (1969).
Kaplan, H. S., Earle, J. D., Howsden, F. L.: The role of purine and pyrimidine bases and their analogues in radiation sensitivity. J. cell. comp. Physiol. 64, Suppl. 1, 69–89 (1964).
— Howsden, F. L.: Sensitization of purine-starved bacteria to X-rays. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 51, 181–188 (1964).
— Smith, K. C., Tomlin, P. A.: Effect of halogenated pyrimidines on radiosensitivity of E. coli. Radiat. Res. 16, 98–113 (1962).
Kapp, D. S., Smith, K. C.: Repair of radiation-induced damage in Escherichia coli. II. Effect of rec and uvr mutations on radiosensitivity and repair of X-ray-induced single-strand breaks in deoxyribonucleic acid. J. Bact. 103, 49–54 (1970).
Meyn, R. E., Jr.: The effect of glucose on the host-cell reactivation of ultraviolet-and gamma-irradiated T1 phage in Escherichia coli. Ph. D. Thesis. Univ. of Kansas (1969).
— Friesen, B., Paptist, J.: Host-cell reactivation of gamma-irradiated phage T1 in strains of Escherichia coli K-12. Molec. gen. Genet. 104, 66–72 (1969).
Morimyo, M., Horii, Z., Suzuki, K.: Appearance of low molecular weight DNA in a rec − mutant of Escherichia coli K-12 irradiated with X-rays. J. radiat. Res. 9, 19–25 (1968).
Oishi, M.: An ATP-dependent deoxyribonuclease from Escherichia coli with a possible role in genetic recombination. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 64, 1292–1299 (1969).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Cummunicated by E. M. Witkin
This paper was reported in part at the Fourteenth Annual meeting of the Biophysical Society in Baltimore, Md., 25–27 February 1970.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Baptist, J.E., Starkey, F.M., Friesen, B.S. et al. A correlation between sensitization to gamma-rays by purine starvation and the rec genes in Escherichia coli K-12. Molec. Gen. Genet. 112, 36–42 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00266930
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00266930