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Molecular basis of base substitution hotspots in Escherichia coli

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Abstract

In the lacI gene of Escherichia coli spontaneous base substitution hotspots occur at 5-methylcytosine residues. The hotspots disappear when the respective cytosines are not methylated. We suggest that the hotspots may result from the spontaneous deamination of 5-methylcytosine to thymine, which is not excised by the enzyme DNA-uracil glycosidase.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Département de Biologie Moléculaire, Université de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland

    Christine Coulondre & Jeffrey H. Miller

  2. Biological Laboratories, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02138

    Philip J. Farabaugh & Walter Gilbert

Authors
  1. Christine Coulondre
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  2. Jeffrey H. Miller
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  3. Philip J. Farabaugh
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  4. Walter Gilbert
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Coulondre, C., Miller, J., Farabaugh, P. et al. Molecular basis of base substitution hotspots in Escherichia coli. Nature 274, 775–780 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1038/274775a0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/274775a0

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