Role of Base Excision Repair (BER) in Transcription-associated Mutagenesis of Nutritionally Stressed Nongrowing Bacillus subtilis Cell Subpopulations

摘要: Compelling evidence points to transcriptional processes as important factors contributing stationary-phase associated mutagenesis. However, it has not been documented whether or base excision repair mechanisms play a role in modulating mutagenesis under conditions of derepression. Here, we report on flow cytometry-based methodology that employs fluorescent reporter system measure at single-cell level, the occurrence transcription-associated mutations nutritionally stressed B. subtilis cultures. Using this approach, demonstrate (i) high levels transcription correlates with augmented mutation frequency, and (ii) frequency is enhanced nongrowing population cells deficient for deaminated (Ung, YwqL) oxidized guanine (GO) repair, strongly suggesting accumulation spontaneous DNA lesions enhance