Characterization of a UV-resistant strain,UVr-10, established from a human clonal cell line,RSb, with high sensitivity to UV, 4NQO,MNNG and interferon

Characterization was performed of a UV-resistant variant strain, UV^r-10, derived from a human clonal cell line, RSb, with high sensitivity not only to the lethal effect of 254-nm far-ultraviolet (UV) irradiation but also to the effects of 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4NQO) and N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG), and to the cell proliferation inhibition (CPI) effect of human leukocyte interferon (HuIFN-α) preparations.Colony-formation assays confirmed the increased resistance of UV^r-10 cells to both UV and 4NQO, but no increased resistance to MNNG. The marked recovery from the inhibition of the total cellular DNA synthesis of UV^r-10 cells, estimated by [methyl-³H]thymidine ([³H]dThd) uptake into the cellular DNA materials, was seen during 6 h after irradiation or 4NQO treatment even under the conditions without the recovery uptake into those of the parent RSb cells, but not during 6 h after MNNG treatment. Comparative studies on the activity of DNA repair synthesis between UV^r-10 and RSb cells, by measuring the extent of UV-, 4NQO- or MNNG-induced unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) and DNA repair replication, revealed an increased activity of UV^r-10 cells to UV and 4NQO but no significant increase of the activity to MNNG. These results suggest that increased DNA repair activities of a UV^r-10 cell line may account for its becoming resistant to the lethal effect of UV and 4NQO.Concerning the CPI effect of HuIFN-α, UV^r-10 cells showed increased resistance. Further, the DNA synthesis activity of UV^r-10 cells was not so inhibited by HuIFN-α exposure as that of RSb cells. However, HuIFN-α-exposed UV^r-10 cells showed more enhanced levels of activity of pppA(2′p5′A)_n synthetase (2–5A synthetase) than the exposed RSb, thus suggesting that HuIFN-α could exert enough intracellular effect even in UV^r-10 cells.The implication of the increased resistance of UV^r-10 cells to the effects of UV, 4NQO and HuIFN-α, but not to those of MNNG, is discussed.     

A UV-resistant mutant without an increased repair synthesis activity, established from a UV-sensitive human clonal cell line

When cells of a human clonal cell line, RSa, with high sensitivity to UV lethality, were treated with the mutagen, ethyl methanesulfonate, a variant cell strain, UVr-1, was established as a mutant resistant to 254-nm far-ultraviolet radiation (UV). Cell proliferation studies showed that UVr-1 cells survived and actively proliferated at doses of UV-irradiation that greatly suppressed the proliferation of RSa cells. Colony-formation assays also confirmed the increased resistance of UVr-1 cells to UV. The recovery from a UV-induced inhibition in DNA synthesis, as [methyl-3H]thymidine uptake into cellular DNA, was more pronounced in UVr-1 cells than in RSa cells. Nevertheless, there was no significant difference in the activity of UV-induced DNA repair synthesis in either cell line, as estimated by the extent of unscheduled DNA synthesis and DNA repair replication. UVr-1 cells were also more refractory to 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4NQO), but the activity of DNA repair synthesis induced by 4NQO in UVr-1 cells was much the same as in the RSa cells. Both N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) sensitivity and MNNG-induced DNA repair synthesis activity in UVr-1 cells were similar to that of RSa cells. These characteristics of UVr-1 cells are discussed in the light of a previously reported UV-resistant variant, UVr-10, which had an increased DNA repair synthesis activity.     

Strand breaks of mammalian mitochondrial DNA induced by carcinogens.

Closed circular mitochondrial DNA in mammalian cells was degradated to the open circular form by exposure of the cells to the carcinogens N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) and 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4NQO). MNNG caused more strand scission of mitochondrial DNA than 4NQO at the same concentration. The action of the carcinogens on mitochondrial DNA did not parallel that with nuclear DNA which was damaged by 4NQO more markedly than by MNNG. Mitochondrial DNA damaged by carcinogens was not repaired during 4-20 h of post-treatment incubation of the cells. Incorporation of labeled thymidine into the closed circular mitochondrial DNA, decreased by the treatment of cells with carcinogens, recovered during post-treatment incubation.     

Comparison of DNA-repair synthesis,chromosome aberrations and induction of micronuclei in cultured human fibroblast,Chinese hamster ovary and central mudminnow (Umbra limi) cells exposed to chemical mutagens

In mammalian cells it has previously been observed that low DNA-repair activity is correlated wtih high chromosome-aberration frequency. Since fish cells typically express comparatively low amounts of DNA repair, the chromosome aberration test holds potential as a sensitive fish genotoxicity assay. A comparison of in vitro DNA-repairm activity showed HF > CHO > Ul-H = Ul-F following exposure to MNNG and 4NQO. Although peak chromosome-aberration frequency varied CHO > Ul-H > HF, at comparable mutagen concentrations the relationship was Ul-H > HF > CHO following 4NQO exposure and Ul-H > HF = CHO after MNNG exposure. Analyzing for chromosome aberrations at high mutagen concentrations was not possible due t mitotic inhibition/toxicity which varied according to the mutagen and cell line. Micronuclei frequency varied CHO > Ul-H > HF = Ul-F. In CHO and Ul-H, a 10–15 fold increase over the controls compares with only a 2–3 fold increase for HF and Ul-F. These differences are likely related, in part, to the cell-division rate of each line and the coincident repair of the damaged DNA. Reasons for the lack of negative correlation between DNA repair and chromosomal damage in fish cells are discussed.     

A comprehensive exercise in comparative mutagenesis with exciting outcome or how good are mutation assays in predicting carcinogens?

Cultivation of E. coli B/r strain WP2 in low concentrations of either 4-nitroquinoline N-oxide (4NQO) or N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) had no effect on the mutagenic or cytotoxic consequences of subsequent challenge with dichlorvos (DCV). However, although the sensitivity of E. coli cells taken from cultures grown in low concentrations of DCV to the effects of 4NQO was unchanged, the cells were more resistant to the mutagenic (but not cytotoxic) consequences of MNNG challenge. This phenomenon was not observed in WP2 derivatives deficient in either error-free (uvrA-) or error-prone (lexA-) DNA-repair, suggesting that a factor common to both these repair pathways may be involved.     

Cell cycle effects on the basal and DNA-damaging-agent-stimulated ADPRT activity in cultured mammalian cells

ADP-ribosyl transferase (ADPRT) is a DNA-dependent chromatin-associated enzyme which covalently attaches ADP-ribose moieties derived from NAD+ to protein acceptors to form poly(ADP-ribose). ADPRT activity is strongly stimulated by breaks in DNA, and it is suggested that its activity is required for efficient DNA excision repair. In this paper, a cell-cycle-dependent fluctuation of basal ADPRT activity was demonstrated by measuring it in permeabilized FL cells. The cell used was subjected to arginine starvation for 48 h before being released from the block by replacement of deficient medium with complete medium and cells in different proliferating stages were traced by [3H]TdR pulse labelling and obtained at different intervals after block release. The peak basal ADPRT activity appeared 4-6 h after the appearance of the peak of DNA synthesis. After treating the cells with MNNG (10(-4) M), MMS (10(-3)-10(-4) M) and 4NQO (10(-5) M) for 90 min just after release of the block, the ADPRT activity was markedly stimulated. It was further demonstrated that the effects of MNNG/4NQO and cell cycle influence on the level of poly(ADP-ribose) synthesis appear to be additive. While concerning MMS, quite a different pattern of ADPRT stimulation in the cell cycle was demonstrated, i.e., the activity of ADPRT stimulation of 10(-3) M MMS was found to be completely dependent on the basal ADPRT activity. In the cells with the highest basal ADPRT activity 12 h after block release, the MMS-induced ADPRT stimulation could not be observed. It was suggested that more than one pathway might be present in ADPRT stimulation induced by DNA-damaging chemicals, and the cells synchronized in late G1 stage might be the most suitable for demonstrating poly(ADP-ribose) synthesis after DNA damage.     

Increased sensitivity of xeroderma pigmentosum cells to some chemical carcinogens and mutagens

The clone-forming capacity and level of DNA repair was examined on normal human cells and repair-deficient Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) fibroblasts exposed to various chemical carcinogens and mutagens.The cultured fibroblasts were treated for 90 min with the carcinogenic and mutagenic 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4NQO), 4-hydroxyaminoquinoline 1-oxide (4HAQO), 2-methyl-4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (2-Me-4NQO), 3-methyl-4-nitropyridine 1-oxide 3-Me-4NPO) and the non-carcinogenic 6-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (6NQO). The response of the cells to the N-oxides was compared to that induced by the mutagen and carcinogen N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) and UV-irradiation.The XP cells showed (1) a reduced level of DNA repair synthesis when exposed to various carcinogenic N-oxides, (2) no unscheduled DNA synthesis following 6NQO and (3) a normal degree of DNA repair synthesis after treatment with MNNG.When the clone-forming capacity was examined the XP cells exhibited (1) a higher increased sensitivity to the various carcinogenic N-oxides, (2) no reduction in the clone formation following 6NQO and (3) a sensitivity virtually comparable to that of normal cells after treatment with MNNG.The results suggest a link between extent of DNA damage, level of DNA repair and degree of sensitivity in human cells exposed to various chemical carcinogens and which induce DNA alterations that cannot be repaired by DNA repair synthesis.     

Cytotoxic and genotoxic effect of inhibitor of vulcanisation N-cyclohexylthiophthalimide in a battery of in vitro assays

Mutagenicity of N-cyclohexylthiophthalimide (Duslin P) was tested first by the Ames test in the bacteria, Salmonella typhimurium. The negative results of the Ames test suggested that this compound does not induce mutations in the genome of S. typhimurium under the conditions used. To estimate the cytotoxicity of Duslin P to human cells, we measured cellular DNA and protein as well as cell proliferation, i.e., the mitotic index of treated and control cells. The genotoxic effects were assayed by two biochemical methods developed for detection of single-strand breaks of DNA in mammalian cells, i.e., by the alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis (comet assay) and by the DNA unwinding method, respectively. The DNA unwinding method showed that this compound did not induce DNA damage at concentrations < 7 micrograms/ml. Alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis revealed approximately double the level of DNA damage (in comparison to untreated control DNA) at a concentration of 2 micrograms/ml, which reduced proliferation to approximately 30%, and triple the level of DNA damage at higher concentrations (6 and 7 micrograms/ml), which inhibited completely both DNA synthesis and proteosynthesis. Cells with moderately damaged DNA were more common than cells with heavily damaged DNA. Parallel experiments with the strong mutagen and carcinogen MNNG showed that MNNG induced in cells a high level of DNA damage at concentrations which did not reduce the mitotic index or proteosynthesis, while DNA synthesis inhibited only partially. After treatment with MNNG, cells with heavily damaged DNA were more common than cells with moderately damaged DNA. Duslin P-treated VH10 cells were also tested cytogenetically, confirming that Duslin P induced neither chromosomal aberrations nor aneuploidy. We conclude that Duslin P has no mutagenic effect on bacteria, does not induce chromosomal aberrations and CREST positive or CREST negative micronuclei in human cells and induces only a small increase of DNA damage in human cells which is consistent with DNA fragmentation due to cell death.     

DNA repair in cultured mouse cells of increasing population doubling level

Cultures of mouse cells of various population doubling levels (PDL) were examined for DNA-repair capabilities as estimated by (i) the excision of pyrimidine dimers; (ii) unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) in response to UV-irradiation or N-methyl-N'-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) treatment; (iii) the levels of two DNA-repair enzyme activities, uracil DNA glycosylase and AP endonuclease. The responses to ultraviolet light and MNNG decreased rapidly within the first two PDL and more slowly thereafter until essentially no repair was detected by PDL 12. A continuous cell line which emerged from the cultured cells after a crises period had some restoration of repair capability. The amount of uracil DNA glycosylase activity decreased by approximately 40% before the crises period then decreased by 90% in the continuous cell line. In contrast, the amount of AP endonuclease activity present in the precrises cells showed no significant change until PDL 12, then increased 6-7-fold in the continuous cell line.     

Effects of human interferon-alpha on UV-induced DNA-repair synthesis and cell killing

Cells of a human transformed cell line, RSb, which have unusually high sensitivity to UV killing and low DNA-repair capacity and which can be induced into antiviral states by human interferon (HuIFN)-alpha (Suzuki et al., 1982), acquired increased levels of DNA-repair synthesis and cell survival when pretreated with HuIFN-alpha before UV irradiation. The increased effects of HuIFN-alpha were also observed in other transformed VA13 cells and AK fibroblast cells.     

Induction of umu gene expression by cross-links and other DNA lesions

The induction of umu gene expression by DNA cross-links was investigated in various strains of E. coli with different DNA-repair capacities. Expression was measured by quantifying enzymatic activity of beta-galactosidase produced under regulation of the umu promoter carried on a plasmid carrying the umuC-lacZ gene fusion. The treatment with MMC induced gene expression more efficiently in a wild-type strain when compared with an excision-repair-deficient strain (uvrA). In contrast, PUVA and cis-Pt treatment induced higher levels of the gene expression in the uvrA strain than in the wild-type strain, as did other DNA-damaging agents including 4NQO, MNNG and MMS. None of these chemicals induced umu expression in either lexA and recA strains. The mechanisms of the induction of umu expression by DNA cross-links in relation to DNA damage and repair are discussed.     

Mechanism of increased susceptibility to 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide in cultured skin fibroblasts from patients with familial polyposis coli

About 50% of the strains of cultured fibroblasts from patients with familial polyposis coli (FPC) exhibited increased susceptibility to cytotoxicity of 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4NQO) compared with cells from normal individuals. The FPC cells that showed hyper-sensitivity to 4NQO were also hyper-sensitive to mitomycin C (MMC), but susceptibilities of these cells to UV radiation, methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) and N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) were within the normal range. The extent of single-strand scission of DNA in the 4NQO-sensitive FPC cells was greater than in normal cells, and the amount of [14C]4NQO bound to DNA in the FPC cells was twice as high as in normal cells. The rate of release of [14C]4NQO from DNA by the post-culture was the same as in both FPC and normal cells. The 4NQO-sensitive FPC cells exhibited increased 4NQO-reductase activity; the level of this activity was consistent with the extent of the decrease in colony formation by 4NQO. These results suggest that the enhanced ability to activate 4NQO might be an important factor in the mechanism of susceptibility of FPC cells to 4NQO rather than the reduced ability to repair DNA.     

Repair of cytotoxic lesions induced by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine in Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli.

The role of nucleotide excision repair and 3-methyladenine DNA glycosylases in removing cytotoxic lesions induced by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) in Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli cells was examined. Compared to the E. coli wild-type strain, the S. typhimurium wild-type strain was more sensitive to the same dose of MNNG. Nucleotide excision repair in both bacterial species does not contribute significantly to the survival after MNNG treatment, indicating that the observed differences in survival between S. typhimurium and E. coli should be attributed to DNA-repair systems other than nucleotide excision repair. The survival of the E. coli alkA mutant strain is seriously affected by the lack of 3-methyladenine DNA glycosylase II, accentuating the importance of this DNA-repair enzyme in protecting E. coli cells against the lethal effects of methylating agents. Following indications from our experiments, the existence of an alkA gene analogue in S. typhimurium has been questioned. Dot-blot hybridisation, using the E. coli alkA gene as a probe, was performed, and such a nucleotide sequence was not detected on S. typhimurium genomic DNA. The existence of constitutive 3-methyladenine DNA glycosylase, analogous to the E. coli Tag gene product in S. typhimurium cells, suggested by the results is discussed.     

Sensitization of rad mutants of Dictyostelium discoideum to ultraviolet light by postirradiation treatment with caffeine

The capacity of normal human cells to regulate DNA-repair pathways was examined. Synchronous populations of WI-38 human diploid fibroblasts were used to determine whether base-excision repair was increased as a function of the cell cycle. 2 parameters of the base-excision repair pathway were examined: (1) The induction of the DNA-repair enzyme uracil DNA glycosylase which functions in an initial step in base excision repair: (2) cell-mediated base-excision repair as measured by unscheduled DNA synthesis after exposure to sodium bisulfite or to methyl methanesulfonate. The glycosylase activity was increased 5-fold during cell proliferation; unscheduled DNA synthesis was enhanced 4- to 30-fold in a similar fashion. Equivalent results were observed where repair replication was quantitated using density-gradient analysis in the absence of hydroxyurea. The increase of the activity of the uracil DNA glycosylase and the enhancement of DNA repair occurred prior to the induction of DNA replication. Furthermore, at the maximal stimulation of DNA replication both glycosylase activity and DNA repair had substantially diminished. As the cells entered the second cell cycle, the glycosylase activity was again increased and then was again diminished. These results suggest that human cells actively modulate this DNA-repair pathway. The temporal stimulation of base-excision repair suggests the possibility that a DNA-repair complex may be formed prior to DNA replication to prescreen DNA and thus ensure the transfer of the correct genetic information to daughter cells.     

Lethal and mutagenic effects of radiation and chemicals on cultured fish cells derived from the erythrophoroma of goldfish (Carassius auratus)

GEM 199 cells derived from an erythrophoroma of goldfish (Carassius auratus), which had a high plating efficiency, were used to investigate the lethal and mutational effects of radiations (UV and gamma-rays) and chemicals (4NQO and MNNG). The cells were more resistant to gamma-rays than mammalian cells and CAF-MM1 cells derived from the normal fin tissue of goldfish. They were also more resistant to UV-irradiation than CAF-MM1 cells. Photoreactivation after UV-irradiation was present in GEM 199 cells for both survival and mutation. The initial shoulder of the survival curve of UV-irradiated cells was reduced greatly by caffeine, suggesting a high activity of the post-replication repair. The spontaneous mutation frequency to ouabain resistance was 1-5 X 10(-6) clones per viable cell. MNNG was effective in inducing ouabain-resistant mutation, while 4NQO and gamma-rays did not induce mutation.     

Usefulness of combined in vivo skin comet assay and in vivo skin micronucleus test

We have already found that the in vivo skin comet assay is useful for the evaluation of primary DNA damage induced by genotoxic chemicals in epidermal skin cells. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the combined in vivo skin comet assay and in vivo skin micronucleus (MN) test using the same animal to explore the usefulness of the new test method. The combined alkaline comet assay and MN test was carried out with three chemicals: 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4NQO), N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) and benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P). In the first experiment, we compared DNA- and chromosome-damaging effects of 3 [72, 24 and 3 hours (h) before sacrifice] and 4 applications (72, 48, 24 and 3h before sacrifice) of 4NQO, which induces dermal irritancy. The animals were euthanized and their skin was sampled for the combination test. As a result, the 4-application method was able to detect both DNA- and chromosome-damaging potential with a lower concentration; therefore, in the second experiment, MNNG and B[a]P were topically applied four times, respectively. The animals were euthanized, and then their skins were sampled for combination tests. In the alkaline comet assay, significant differences in the percent of DNA (%DNA) in the tail were observed in epidermal skin cells treated with MNNG and B[a]P. In the MN test, an increased frequency of MN cells (%MN) cells was observed by treatment with MNNG; however, there were no significant increases. In contrast, significant differences in %MN were observed by treatment with B[a]P. From these results, we conclude that the combined in vivo skin comet assay and in vivo MN test was useful because it can detect different genotoxicity with the same sampling time and reduce the number of animals used.     

Carcinogens on Regeneration

A microcrystal (ca 5 μg) of N -methyl- N '-nitro- N -nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) or 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4NQO) was directly administered to the regeneration blastema on day 7 after amputation of a forelimb in the newt in order to analyze the effect of such potent carcinogenic substances on regeneration cells. Although neither MNNG nor 4NQO arrested regeneration completely, they caused great retardation of the regeneration cone formation followed by various abnormalities in the bony structures. Abnormal regenerants could be classified into the following four categories; (1) complete absence of both ulna and radius; (2) subregeneration or superregeneration of carpals and digits; (3) multiple disorganization of skeletal elements; (4) arrest of regeneration at the stage of regeneration cone. The polarity of regenerants developed after application of MNNG or 4NQO was very often shifted, during which the regeneration cone was always formed from the site where a microcrystal of the carcinogens was administered. The secondary regeneration initiated by reamputation of the regenerating limb, which had received the carcinogens at the early blastema stage, proceeded in the same way as observed in the case of a simple amputation. This suggested local and temporal effects of the carcinogens applied. Nevertheless, tumor formation has not induced in the newt limb so far. We can learn from these data that both MNNG and 4NQO only alter behaviour of the newt regeneration cells without excerting their carcinogenic effects on them, and that the newt cells are highly resistant and stable against the above-mentioned carcinogens.     

Alterations in levels of 5'-adenyl dinucleotides following DNA damage in normal human fibroblasts and fibroblasts derived from patients with xeroderma pigmentosum

Levels of 5'-adenyl dinucleotides, measured as diadenosine-5',5'-P1,P4-tetraphosphate (Ap4A), were found to accumulate in cultured human fibroblasts following treatment with N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG), the radiomimetic drug bleomycin, and nitroquinoline-1-oxide (NQO) or UV-irradiation in the presence of cytosine arabinofuranoside (araC). In contrast, cells derived from patients with xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group A (XP-A) did not demonstrate an increase in DNA-strand breaks following UV irradiation or NQO in the presence of araC nor an increase in Ap4A levels. Ap4A accumulation did occur in XP-A cells following treatment with MNNG. Cells derived from patients characterized as XP variants, which are incision repair-proficient, accumulated 5'-dinucleotides following bleomycin, MNNG and UV or NQO in the presence of araC. Taken together, these data suggest that Ap4A accumulates as a response to DNA-strand breaks.     

Replication of endogenous avian retrovirus in permissive and nonpermissive chicken embryo fibroblasts.

Clones of chicken embryo fibroblasts exogenously infected with the endogenous avian retrovirus were analyzed to examine the replication of this virus in permissive (Gr+) and nonpermissive (Gr-) cells. The results demonstrate that the endogenous virus was capable of infecting both Gr+ and Gr- cells with equal efficiency. Infected clones of Gr+ and Gr- cells differed, however, in two significant ways. At the time of their initial characterization, the Gr+ clones produced 100- to 1,000-fold more virus than the Gr- clones. Further, the amount of virus produced by Gr+ clones did not change significantly during serial passage of the cells. In contrast, continued passage of the infected Gr- clones resulted in a gradual increase in the amount of virus produced. Individual clones of infected Gr- cells produced infectious virus at rates that, initially, differed by a factor of more than 10(4). The large differences in the production of virus by these clones could not be explained by equally large differences in the number of infected cells within the clonal populations. Greater than 80% of the clonal populations examined ultimately produced virus at rates that were not significantly different from the rates observed in infected Gr+ cells. Virus produced by these infected Gr- cells exhibited the same restricted replication upon establishing a new infection in nonpermissive cells. Analysis of the appearance of free and integrated viral DNA sequences during endogenous virus infection of Gr+ and Gr- cells demonstrated that, after an initial delay in the synthesis of free viral DNA in Gr- cells, the nonpermissive cells ultimately acquired as many integrated viral DNA sequences as were found in infected Gr+ cells. These results indicate that a majority of the infectious particles of the endogenous virus are capable of establishing infection in a Gr- cell and, ultimately, of producing virus at a rate that is not significantly different from that produced by infected Gr+ cells. The virus produced from the Gr- cells is not a stable genetic variant of the original endogenous virus that is capable of unrestricted replication in nonpermissive cells. The reduced efficiency with which the endogenous virus initially replicates in nonpermissive cells and the increased length of time required for infected Gr- cells to produce maximal virus titers suggest that the endogenous virus may utilize a different mechanism of replication in Gr+ and Gr- fibroblasts.     

Inducible error-prone repair in yeast. Suppression by heat shock

The production of reversion mutations in wild-type, diploid Saccharomyces cerevisiae by the alkylating agents N-methyl-N'-nitro- N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) and methylnitrosourea (MNU) was suppressed in cells previously treated with a heat shock, or the protein synthesis inhibitor, cycloheximide. The same cells previously treated with a heat shock, or the protein synthesis inhibitor, cycloheximide. The same treatment after mutagen exposure did not lower the induced mutation frequency. In split-dose experiments, a first MNNG exposure prevented subsequent heat (or cycloheximide) treatment from blocking mutation by a second, later mutagen exposure. These data suggest that, in yeast, MNNG or MNU induces an error-prone DNA-repair system, and that this induction is blocked by protein-synthesis inhibitors. The specificity of this system for different types of DNA damage was investigated using a variety of other mutagenic agents. A prior heat shock did not suppress mutation produced by exposure to ethyl methanesulfonate, ethylnitrosourea, 8-methoxypsoralen + UVA, or gamma-radiation. Partial suppression was observed in cells exposed to methyl methanesulfonate or to 254-nm ultraviolet light. These results indicate that, unlike the SOS system of E. coli, this inducible error-prone process of yeast is responsive to only certain mutagens. Heat shock suppression of mutation produced by MNNG exposure was also demonstrated in wild-type haploid cells, as well as haploid strains mutant in representative genes of the RAD52 epistasis group (rad52, rad53, rad54), the RAD3 epistasis group (rad1, rad2, rad3) and the RAD6 epistasis group (rad9, rad18). The rad6 mutant itself was immutable with MNNG and therefore untestable by these techniques. These data indicate that this error-prone repair system is not absolutely dependent on the integrity of the RAD52 (recombination) or the RAD3 (excision) systems, or on at least some parts of the RAD6 system.