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A genetic assay for transversion mutations in bacteriophage T4

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Summary

A method is described for recognizing many transversion mutations arising within an ochre (UAA) codon in therII gene of bacteriophage T4. Most of therII ochre mutants used revert only by base pair substitution mutations in their DNA. Transition mutations within the UAA codon produce either an amber (UAG) mutant, an opal (UGA) mutant, or a glutamine (CAA) revertant. All three can be isolated and identified when the ochre mutant is treated with a mutagen which produces transitions. On the other hand, many nonsuppressed revertants with phenotypes different from the CAA revertant arose as transversions. The method has been used to score the spontaneous production of transversions at A:T base pair sites.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois, 61801, Urbana, Illinois, USA

    Lynn S. Ripley & John W. Drake

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  1. Lynn S. Ripley
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  2. John W. Drake
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Communicated by Ch. Auerbach

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Ripley, L.S., Drake, J.W. A genetic assay for transversion mutations in bacteriophage T4. Molec. Gen. Genet. 118, 1–10 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02428327

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02428327

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