Abstract
Over the past 6 years an unexpected way of making mutations in bacteria has challenged concepts of the genetic mechanisms behind evolution. Mechanistic studies of these so called 'adaptive' mutations are revealing a novel molecular mechanism involving DNA double-strand breaks, genetic recombination, probable DNA polymerase errors, and the possible suspension of mismatch repair during the reversion of a lac frameshift mutation in Escherichia coli. The molecular details of this process are altering our understanding of how mutations form in non-dividing cells.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 69-76 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Mutation Research - Fundamental and Molecular Mechanisms of Mutagenesis |
Volume | 350 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Feb 19 1996 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:We thank G. Haljan, P.J. Hastings and H. Razavy for commentso n the manuscript.S upportedb y grants from Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Medical Research Council of Canada. and the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (AHFMR). an AHFMR graduate studentship, NSERC graduate studentship, Walter H. Johns graduate studentship and Lionel McLeod fellowship to RSH. and an AHFMR postdoctoral fellowship to AMG. SMR is an Alberta Heritage Medical Scholar.
Keywords
- Adaptive mutation
- DNA double-strand break
- Directed mutation
- Escherichia coli
- Mismatch repair
- RecA
- RecBCD
- Recombination
- Repent instability