Summary
Spectra of induced mutations resulting in obligate organoauxotrophy are compared at different phylogenetic levels from bacteria to higher plants. It appears that the spectra of mutants concerned with basic cell metabolism are more or less the same in bacteria and fungi. In higher, green plants (an alga and an angiosperm) the spectra are qualitatively different. Mutation frequency in certain pathways is common, while in others no mutants have been found. This lack of recovery of many classes of mutants indicates a reduction, by several orders of magnitude, in either mutability or detectability of the mutants in the majority of the biosynthetic systems.
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Contribution from the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station. Journal Series No. 5167. Approved by the Director.
This work was supported by National Science Foundation Grants GB-3999, GB-4301 and U.S. Atomic Energy Commission Contract AT (11-1)-1609.
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Li, S.L., Rédei, G.P. & Gowans, C.S. A phylogenetic comparison of mutation spectra. Molec. Gen. Genet. 100, 77–83 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00425777
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00425777