Mutagenic Activity of Autoxidized Linolenic and Linoleic Acid

Isolation of mutants with an enhanced productivity of 7β-(4-carboxybutanamido)-cephalosporanic acid acylase (penicillin amidohydrolase, EC 3.5.1.11) was attempted. A mutant, Ci-36, isolated by a method using glutarylamlide, produced approximately 5-times more acylase than did the parental strain. However, this acylase formation was still dependent on glutaric acid which was previously found to be essential in the case of the wild strain, Pseudomonas SY-77-1. The inducible-acylase formation was found to be firmly associated with the process of cell multiplication. Subsequently, a mutant, GK-16 was derived from Ci-36, which was shown to produce the acylase at maximum level without the addition of glutaric acid. The productivity of GK-16 was 2.4-times higher than that of Ci-36.     

Thymineless Mutagenesis in Escherichia coli

To clarify the relationship between thymineless death and thymineless mutagenesis, the induction of arginine revertants of Escherichia coli TAU-bar by thymine starvation was examined in physiological terms. Induced revertants were detectable both on minimal medium lacking arginine and minimal medium supplemented with 1 mug of arginine per ml. Substantial thymineless mutagenesis occurred during the period before the onset of thymineless death. Mutagenesis and loss of viability were observed upon incubation in medium lacking thymine and arginine, and both were inhibited upon incubation in medium lacking thymine and uracil. Mutagenesis also occurred during thymine starvation at 25 C, where there was relatively little loss of viability. At 37 C thymineless mutagenesis did not require complete thymine starvation, and the induction of revertants appeared to be initiated at the same suboptimal thymine concentration at which lethality was first detectable. Mutagenesis was found not to occur preferentially at the growing point of deoxyribonucleic acid replication. These results suggest that thymineless mutagenesis does not involve simply errors in base pairing due to the absence of thymine. The data also suggest that the induction of mutations and thymineless death are due to the same primary event but that mutagenesis is the more sensitive response.     

Antimutagenic effects of cinnamaldehyde on chemical mutagenesis in Escherichia coli

Antimutagenic effects of cinnamaldehyde on mutagenesis by chemical agents were investigated in Escherichia coli WP2 uvrA- trpE-. Cinnamaldehyde, when added to agar medium, greatly reduced the number of Trp+ revertants induced by 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4-NQO) without any decrease of cell viability. This antimutagenic effect could not be explained by inactivation of 4-NQO caused by direct interaction with cinnamaldehyde. Mutagenesis by furylfuramide (AF-2) was also suppressed significantly. Mutations induced by methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) and ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) were slightly inhibited. However, cinnamaldehyde was not at all effective on the mutagenesis of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG). Two derivatives of cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl alcohol and trans-cinnamic acid, did not have as strong antimutagenic effects on 4-NQO mutagenesis as cinnamaldehyde had. Because cinnamaldehyde showed marked antimutagenic effects against mutations induced by UV-mimic mutagens but not those induced by MNNG or EMS, it seems that cinnamaldehyde might act by interfering with an inducible error-prone DNA repair pathway.     

Desaturation of Oleic and Linoleic Acids by Leaves of Dark- and Light-grown Maize Seedlings

Oleate and linoleate desaturation in leaves of maize seedlings was largely independent of previous light treatment of the seedlings; there was no evidence of light-induced desaturase activities. These results are in sharp contrast to those observed with developing cucumber cotyledons in which pronounced increase in desaturation occurs after exposure of tissue to light. The rates of desaturation of oleate were about four times those of linoleate in both etiolated and 16-hour greened maize leaves. In both etiolated and greened tissues, about two-thirds of the label from oleate was esterified after 4 hours, half of which was in phosphatidylcholine. Phosphatidylcholine and diglyceride contained large proportions of [¹⁴C]linoleate formed from [¹⁴C]oleate but not [¹⁴C]linolenate. In monogalactolipid, about two-thirds of the labeled fatty acids were linolenate. In vivo desaturase activity was present in tissue of widely different levels of differentiation and chlorophyll content obtained from light-grown maize seedlings.     

Oleic,Linoleic and Linolenic Acids Increase ROS Production by Fibroblasts via NADPH Oxidase Activation

The effect of oleic, linoleic and γ-linolenic acids on ROS production by 3T3 Swiss and Rat 1 fibroblasts was investigated. Using lucigenin-amplified chemiluminescence, a dose-dependent increase in extracellular superoxide levels was observed during the treatment of fibroblasts with oleic, linoleic and γ-linolenic acids. ROS production was dependent on the addition of β-NADH or NADPH to the medium. Diphenyleneiodonium inhibited the effect of oleic, linoleic and γ-linolenic acids on fibroblast superoxide release by 79%, 92% and 82%, respectively. Increased levels of p47^phox phosphorylation due to fatty acid treatment were detected by Western blotting analyses of fibroblast proteins. Increased p47^phox mRNA expression was observed using real-time PCR. The rank order for the fatty acid stimulation of the fibroblast oxidative burst was as follows: γ-linolenic > linoleic > oleic. In conclusion, oleic, linoleic and γ-linolenic acids stimulated ROS production via activation of the NADPH oxidase enzyme complex in fibroblasts.     

Antimutagenic effects of 5-fluorouracil and 5-fluorodeoxyuridine on UV-induced mutagenesis in Escherichia coli

Inhibitors of UV induction of the SOS function were screened. A log phase culture of E. coli PQ37 (sulA::lacZ, rfa, uvrA, Pho^c) was irradiated with UV and then immediately subjected to culture for 2 h in a liquid LB medium containing each test compound. Expression of the SOS gene (sulA) was assayed by monitoring the levels of β-galactosidase. In order to examine the inhibitory effects of test compounds on protein synthesis, the levels of the constitutive alkaline phosphatase were assayed in parallel.The total number of compounds tested was 233, including 44 food and feed additives, 23 naturally occurring compounds and derivatives, 21 antibiotics, 61 pesticides, 33 inorganics and 51 other chemicals. As a result, 5-fluorouracil and 5-fluorodeoxyuridine were found to inhibit considerably the UV induction of the SOS gene without any inhibition of protein synthesis. Mutagenesis induced by UV irradiation was depressed by the addition of either compound at non-toxic concentrations.     

Mutagenesis by exocyclic alkylamino purine adducts in Escherichia coli

Exocyclic alkylamino purine adducts, including N(2)-ethyldeoxyguanosine, N(2)-isopropyldeoxyguanosine, and N(6)-isopropyldeoxyadenosine, occur as a consequence of reactions of DNA with toxins such as the ethanol metabolite acetaldehyde, diisopropylnitrosamine, and diisopropyltriazene. However, there are few data addressing the biological consequences of these adducts when present in DNA. Therefore, we assessed the mutagenicities of these single, chemically synthesized exocyclic amino adducts when placed site-specifically in the supF gene in the reporter plasmid pLSX and replicated in Escherichia coli, comparing the mutagenic potential of these exocyclic amino adducts to that of O(6)-ethyldeoxyguanosine. Inclusion of deoxyuridines on the strand complementary to the adducts at 5' and 3' flanking positions resulted in mutant fractions of N(2)-ethyldeoxyguanosine and N(2)-isopropyldeoxyguanosine-containing plasmid of 1.4+/-0.5% and 5.7+/-2.5%, respectively, both of which were significantly greater than control plasmid containing deoxyuridines but no adduct (p=0.04 and 0.003, respectively). The mutagenicities of the three exocyclic alkylamino purine adducts tested were of smaller magnitude than O(6)-ethyldeoxyguanosine (mutant fraction=21.2+/-1.2%, p=0.00001) with the N(6)-isopropyldeoxyadenosine being the least mutagenic (mutant fraction=1.2+/-0.5%, p=0.13). The mutation spectrum generated by the N(2)-ethyl and -isopropyldeoxyguanosine adducts included adduct site-targeted G:C-->T:A transversions, adduct site single base deletions, and single base deletions three bases downstream from the adduct, which contrasted sharply with the mutation spectrum generated by the O(6)-ethyldeoxyguanosine lesion of 95% adduct site-targeted transitions. We conclude that N(2)-ethyl and -isopropyldeoxyguanosine are mutagenic adducts in E. coli whose mutation spectra differ markedly from that of O(6)-ethyldeoxyguanosine.     

Mutagenesis by the anti-tumour drug nitracrine in Escherichia coli

The antitumour drug nitracrine [1-nitro-9-(dimethylaminopropylamino)acridine], known to be a potent frameshift mutagen in strains of Salmonella typhimurium, also strongly reverts the lacZ19124 frameshift marker in Escherichia coli. The results in E. coli indicate that nitracrine causes DNA damage which can be excised by the UvrA,B,C excinuclease, can generate mutations by a recA-dependent mechanism, and gives enhanced yields of mutants when plasmid pKM101 is present. Despite these observations, mutagenesis by nitracrine appears to be independent of the UmuC gene product, and hence nitracrine differs from most (but not all) other chemicals which generate mutations via the SOS response. Given that umuC mutants are about as mutable by nitracine as the wild-type parent strain, it is somewhat surprising that plasmid pKM101 causes an enhancement of nitracrine mutagenesis. Nevertheless, we have found that the observed enhancement of mutagenesis by pKM101 is a function of the mucB gene, normally assumed to be essentially homologous to the umuC gene.     

蜂毒溶血肽基因的定点诱变及其在大肠杆菌中的表达

从蜜蜂毒腺中提取总ＲＮＡ,通过ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ方法扩增得到了蜂毒溶血肽前体蛋白的ｃＤＮＡ,再进一步通过定点诱变在蜂毒溶血肽序列前引入了羟胺裂解位点,构建了与β－半乳糖苷酶部分序列相融合的蜂毒溶血肽诱变蛋白表达载体,序列分析结果表明,成功地引入了目的密码子且与β－半乳糖苷酶部分序列构成正确的读码框,并在大肠杆菌中表达了诱变蛋白,为基因工程生产蜂毒溶血肽提供了新途径。     

Nonrandom Mutagenesis of the Escherichia coli Genome by Nitrosoguanidine

The distribution on the genetic map of mutations induced with nitrosoguanidine in stationary-phase cultures of Escherichia coli is nonrandom.     

Mutagenesis and growth delay induced in Escherichia coli by near-ultraviolet radiations

The literature relating to genetic changes induced in Escherichia coli by near-ultraviolet radiations is reviewed and summarized: i) these radiations are much less mutagenic than would be expected from the known level of DNA damage, ii) pre-illumination with near-UV light antagonizes the mutagenic effect of UV (254 nm) light. In agreement with these findings, the SOS functions are not induced by near-UV radiations. Furthermore prior exposure of cells to near-UV light inhibits the subsequent 254 nm induction of the SOS response. Among the several hypothesis considered to explain these observations, one can be clearly favoured. Near-UV light triggers, at sublethal fluences, the growth delay effect. The target molecules, tRNAs, are photocrosslinked and some tRNA species become poor substrates in the acylation reaction. In vivo these tRNA molecules accumulate on the uncharged form, leading to a transient cessation of protein synthesis. The SOS response is inducible and as such requires protein synthesis. We therefore propose that near-ultraviolet radiations have a dual effect: i) they induce, mostly indirectly, DNA lesions which are potentially able to trigger the SOS response, ii) they prevent the expression of the SOS functions through the transient inhibition of protein synthesis (growth delay).     

Mutagenesis and stress responses induced in Escherichia coli by hydrogen peroxide

Killing of Escherichia coli by hydrogen peroxide proceeds by two modes. Mode one killing appears to be due to DNA damage, has a maximum near 1 to 3 mM H2O2, and requires active metabolism during exposure. Mode two killing is due to uncharacterized damage, occurs in the absence of metabolism, and exhibits a classical multiple-order dose-response curve up to at least 50 mM H2O2 (J. A. Imlay and S. Linn, J. Bacteriol. 166:519-527, 1986). H2O2 induces the SOS response in proportion to the degree of killing by the mode one pathway, i.e., induction is maximal after exposure to 1 to 3 mM H2O2. Mutant strains that cannot induce the SOS regulon are hypersensitive to peroxide. Analysis of the sensitivities of mutants that are deficient in individual SOS-regulated functions suggested that the SOS-mediated protection is due to the enhanced synthesis of recA protein, which is rate limiting for recombinational DNA repair. Specifically, strains wholly blocked in both SOS induction and DNA recombination were no more sensitive than mutants that are blocked in only one of these two functions, and strains carrying mutations in uvrA, -B, -C, or -D, sfiA, umuC or -D, ssb, or dinA, -B, -D, -F, -G, -H, -I, or -J were not abnormally sensitive to killing by H2O2. After exposure to H2O2, mutagenesis and filamentation also occurred with the dose response characteristic of SOS induction and mode one killing, but these responses were not dependent on the lexA-regulated umuC mutagenesis or sfiA filamentation functions, respectively. Exposure of E. coli to H2O2 also resulted in the induction of functions under control of the oxyR regulon that enhance the scavenging of active oxygen species, thereby reducing the sensitivity to H2O2. Catalase levels increased 10-fold during this induction, and katE katG mutants, which totally lack catalase, while not abnormally sensitive to killing by H2O2 in the naive state, did not exhibit the induced protective response. Protection equal to that observed during oxyR induction could be achieved by the addition of catalase to cultures of naive cells in an amount equivalent to that induced by the oxyR response. Thus, the induction of catalase is necessary and sufficient for the observed oxyR-directed resistance to killing by H2O2. Although superoxide dismutase appeared to be uninvolved in this enhanced protective response, sodA sodB mutants, which totally lack superoxide dismutase, were especially sensitive to mode one killing by H2O2 in the naive state. gshB mutants, which lack glutathione, were not abnormally sensitive to killing by H2O2.     

The Mechanism of Nucleotide Excision Repair-Mediated UV-Induced Mutagenesis in Nonproliferating Cells

Following the irradiation of nondividing yeast cells with ultraviolet (UV) light, most induced mutations are inherited by both daughter cells, indicating that complementary changes are introduced into both strands of duplex DNA prior to replication. Early analyses demonstrated that such two-strand mutations depend on functional nucleotide excision repair (NER), but the molecular mechanism of this unique type of mutagenesis has not been further explored. In the experiments reported here, an ade2 adeX colony-color system was used to examine the genetic control of UV-induced mutagenesis in nondividing cultures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We confirmed a strong suppression of two-strand mutagenesis in NER-deficient backgrounds and demonstrated that neither mismatch repair nor interstrand crosslink repair affects the production of these mutations. By contrast, proteins involved in the error-prone bypass of DNA damage (Rev3, Rev1, PCNA, Rad18, Pol32, and Rad5) and in the early steps of the DNA-damage checkpoint response (Rad17, Mec3, Ddc1, Mec1, and Rad9) were required for the production of two-strand mutations. There was no involvement, however, for the Pol η translesion synthesis DNA polymerase, the Mms2-Ubc13 postreplication repair complex, downstream DNA-damage checkpoint factors (Rad53, Chk1, and Dun1), or the Exo1 exonuclease. Our data support models in which UV-induced mutagenesis in nondividing cells occurs during the Pol ζ-dependent filling of lesion-containing, NER-generated gaps. The requirement for specific DNA-damage checkpoint proteins suggests roles in recruiting and/or activating factors required to fill such gaps.