Skip to main content
Log in

Mutational specificity of a bacteriophage T4 DNA polymerase mutant, mel88

  • Published:
Molecular and General Genetics MGG Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Several bacteriophage T4 DNA polymerase mutants have been shown to increase the frequency of spontaneous mutations (Speyer et al. 1966; Freese and Freese 1967; de Vries et al. 1972; Reha-Krantz et al. 1986). In order to determine the molecular basis of the mutator phenotype, it is necessary to characterize the types of mutations produced by the mutator DNA polymerases. We show here that at least one DNA polymerase mutator mutant, mel88, induces an increased number of base substitution mutations compared with wild-type.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Barnett L, Brenner S, Crick FHC, Schulman RG, Watts-Topin RJ (1967) Phase-shift and other mutants in the first part of the rIIB cistron of bacteriophage T4. Philos Trans R Soc Lond [Biol] 252:487–560

    Google Scholar 

  • Benzer S (1961) On the topography of the genetic fine structure. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 47:403–415

    Google Scholar 

  • de Vries FAJ, Swart-Idenburg CJHL, de Waard A (1972) An analysis of replication errors made by a defective T4 DNA polymerase. Mol Gen Genet 117:60–74

    Google Scholar 

  • Freese EB, Freese E (1967) On the specificity of DNA polymerase. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 56:650–657

    Google Scholar 

  • Drake JW, Glickman BW, Ripley LS (1983) Updating the theory of mutation. Am Sci 71:621–630

    Google Scholar 

  • Maniatis T, Fritsch EF, Sambrook J (1982) Molecular cloning. A laboratory manual. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson MA, Singer BS, Gold L, Pribnow D (1981) Mutations that detoxify an aberrant T4 membrane protein. J Mol Biol 149:377–403

    Google Scholar 

  • Pribnow D, Sigurdson DC, Gold L, Singer BS, Napoli C, Borsius J, Dull TJ, Noller HF (1981) rII cistrons of bacteriophage T4. DNA sequence around the intercistronic divide and positions of genetic landmarks. J Mol Biol 149:337–376

    Google Scholar 

  • Reha-Krantz LJ (1987) Genetic and biochemical studies of the bacteriophage T4 DNA polymerase. In: Kelley T, McMacken R (eds) Mechanisms of DNA replication and recombination. Liss, New York (pp 501–509) (UCLA symposia on molecular and cellular biology, new series)

    Google Scholar 

  • Reha-Krantz LJ, Bessman MJ (1977) Studies on the biochemical basis of mutation: IV. Effect of amino acid substitution on the enzymatic and biological properties of the bacteriophage T4 polymerase. J Mol Biol 116:99–113

    Google Scholar 

  • Reha-Krantz LJ, Lambert JKJ (1985) Structure-function studies of the bacteriophage T4 DNA polymerase. J Mol Biol 186:505–514

    Google Scholar 

  • Reha-Krantz LJ, Liesner EM, Parmaksizoglu S, Stocki S (1986) Isolation of bacteriophage T4 DNA polymerase mutator mutants. J Mol Biol 189:261–272

    Google Scholar 

  • Ripley LS, Glickman BW (1983) The unique self-complementarity of palindromic sequences provides DNA structural intermediates for mutation. Cold Spring Harbor Symp Quant Biol 47:851–861

    Google Scholar 

  • Singer BS (1984) A hotspot for transition mutations in the rIIB gene of bacteriophage T4: I. The extent of the hotspot. Mol Gen Genet 193:104–109

    Google Scholar 

  • Speyer JF, Karam JB, Lenny AB (1966) On the role of DNA polymerase in base selection. Cold Spring Harbor Symp Quant Biol 31:693–697

    Google Scholar 

  • Streisinger G, Okada Y, Emrich J, Newton J, Tsugita A, Terzaghi E, Inouye M (1966) Frameshift mutations and the genetic code. Cold Spring Harbor Symp Quant Biol 31:77–84

    Google Scholar 

  • Tessman I (1965) Genetic ultrafine structure in the T4 rII region. Genetics 51:63–75

    Google Scholar 

  • Zaug AJ, Kent JR, Cech TR (1984) A labile phosphodiester bond at the ligation junction in a circular intervening sequence RNA. Science 224:574–578

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

Communicated by J. Lengeler

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Reha-Krantz, L.J. Mutational specificity of a bacteriophage T4 DNA polymerase mutant, mel88 . Mol Gen Genet 209, 90–93 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00329841

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00329841

Key words

Navigation