Small, Acid-Soluble Spore Proteins of the α/β Type Do Not Protect the DNA in Bacillus subtilis Spores against Base Alkylation |
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Authors: | Barbara Setlow Kes J. Tautvydas Peter Setlow |
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Abstract: | Ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) killed wild-type Bacillus subtilis spores as rapidly as spores lacking small, acid-soluble proteins (SASP) of the α/β type (α−β− spores), and 20% of the survivors had obvious mutations. A recA mutation increased the EMS sensitivity of wild-type and α−β− spores similarly but reduced their mutagenesis; EMS treatment of dormant spores also resulted in the induction of RecA synthesis during spore germination. EMS generated similar levels of alkylated bases in wild-type and α−β− spore DNAs, in purified DNA, or in DNA saturated with α/β-type SASP. Ethylene oxide (EtO) also generated similar levels of base alkylation in wild-type and α−β− spore DNAs. These data indicate that EMS and EtO kill spores at least in part by DNA damage but that α/β-type SASP, which protect DNA against many types of damage, do not protect spore DNA from base alkylation. |
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