Recombination in Adaptive Mutation

• DOI: 10.1126/science.8146657
• Publication Date: 2006-10-06T00:01:25Z
• Authors: Reuben S. Harris; Simonne Longerich; Susan M. Rosenberg
• Keywords: DNA, Bacterial; Recombination, Genetic; 0303 health sciences; Exodeoxyribonuclease V; Models, Genetic; Escherichia coli Proteins; Templates, Genetic; 3. Good health; Rec A Recombinases; 03 medical and health sciences; Exodeoxyribonucleases; Lac Operon; Genes, Bacterial; Mutagenesis; Escherichia coli; Frameshift Mutation; DNA Damage

The genetic requirements for adaptive mutation in Escherichia coli parallel those for homologous recombination in the recB CD pathway. Recombination-deficient recA and recB null mutant strains are deficient in adaptive reversion. A hyper-recombinagenic recD strain is hypermutable, and its hypermutation depends on functional recA and recB genes. Genes of subsidiary recombination systems are not required. These results indicate that the molecular mechanism by which adaptive mutation occurs includes recombination. No such association is seen for spontaneous mutation in growing cells.