The origin of mutants

Cairns, John; Overbaugh, Julie; Miller, Stephan S.

doi:10.1038/335142a0

Cited by 1,000 publications

(710 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…When populations of microorganisms are subjected to non-lethal selection, mutations arise that relieve the selective pressure [35]. This phenomenon, originally called "directed mutation", is now called "adaptive mutation", by which is meant a process that produces advantageous mutations during selection even though other, non-selected, mutations occur at the same time.…”

Section: Adaptive Mutationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Stress responses and genetic variation in bacteria

Foster

2005

Mutation Research/Fundamental and Molecular Mechanisms of Mutag

178

106

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Under stressful conditions mechanisms that increase genetic variation can bestow a selective advantage. Bacteria have several stress responses that provide ways in which mutation rates can be increased. These include the SOS response, the general stress response, the heat-shock response, and the stringent response, all of which impact the regulation of error-prone polymerases. Adaptive mutation appears to be process by which cells can respond to selective pressure specifically by producing mutations. In Escherichia coli strain FC40 adaptive mutation involves the following inducible components: (i) a recombination pathway that generates mutations; (ii) a DNA polymerase that synthesizes error-containing DNA; and (iii) stress responses that regulate cellular processes. In addition, a subpopulation of cells enters into a state of hypermutation, giving rise to about 10% of the single mutants and virtually all of the mutants with multiple mutations. These bacterial responses have implications for the development of cancer and other genetic disorders in higher organisms.

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Section: Adaptive Mutationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In their original 1988 paper, Cairns et al hypothesized that mutations could be "directed" toward a useful goal [35]. However, the original evidence supporting this hypothesis has not survived subsequent study.…”

Section: Adaptive Mutations Are Not Directedmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stress responses and genetic variation in bacteria

Foster

2005

Mutation Research/Fundamental and Molecular Mechanisms of Mutag

178

106

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“…While such a mechanism seems unprecedented, it should be possible to test whether bacteria behave in the appropriate fashion when challenged with harsh environments. This possibility harkens to the "directed mutation" controversy (Cairns et al, 1988;Andersson et al, 1998;Hendrickson et al, 2002), although in this instance, the mutations are not "directed." Such a model will no doubt prove much easier to advocate than to demonstrate.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The optimal burst of mutation to create a phenotype

Bull

2008

Journal of Theoretical Biology

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“…MUT 10206 [1][2][3][4][5][6][7] Much of the previous work has involved strains with 44 the FC40 plasmid, which has a frameshift in the lacZ 45 gene and generally reverts by deletion mutation [6][7][8].…”

Section: U N C O R R E C T E D P R O O Fmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Cairns et al [1] noted that reversions of Escherichia frame shift mutations. Cairns originally suggested that 33 mutagenesis was being "directed" toward genes that 34 could allow survival, but the prevailing theory is that 35 the stress of the selective conditions increases mutation 36 rate in non-advantageous and advantageous genes, 37 including the gene(s) leading to prototrophy ("adaptive" 38 mutagenesis).…”

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confidence: 99%

Stationary phase-induction of G→T mutations in Escherichia coli

Shu¹,

Schellhorn

Murphy³

2006

Mutation Research/Fundamental and Molecular Mechanisms of Mutag

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9A series of Escherichia coli mutants, constructed originally by Cupples and Miller [C.G. Cupples, J.H. Miller, A set of lacZ mutations in Escherichia coli that allow raid detection of each of the six base substitutions, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S. A. 86 (1989) 5345-5349], provides a unique system for quantifying base-change mutations, and the repair processes that limit their establishment, in bacteria under selective and non-selective conditions. We focussed on one strain in which a T → G replacement inactivates the lacZ gene. Reversions of this strain can occur through oxidation of G, leading to G → T transversions. We show that spontaneous reversions occurred both in lactose (selective) and glucose (non-selective) medium. The number of revertants per viable cell was much greater in medium containing lactose or both sugars than glucose alone. In glucose medium, the rate of reversion was highest below 0.6% glucose and strongly inhibited at and above that level. Evidence that reversions occurred through G → T transversions in both lactose and glucose media came from two observations: by sequence analysis of a series of revertants and by comparing the reversion rates in strains possessing and lacking the mutM gene (encoding formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase, FPG). However, the rate of reversion was stimulated by reducing O 2 to 1% and inhibited or delayed by increasing O 2 to 90%. In mutM − cells grown on glucose medium, the proportion of revertants increased over a 5-day period. In contrast, in mutM + cells, revertants appeared primarily during the first 2-3 days after plating; few new revertants appeared in the following days. These data imply that base excision repair initiated by FPG was less effective in the first 2 days and more effective later in stationary phase.

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The origin of mutants

Cited by 1,000 publications

References 15 publications

Stress responses and genetic variation in bacteria

Stress responses and genetic variation in bacteria

The optimal burst of mutation to create a phenotype

Stationary phase-induction of G→T mutations in Escherichia coli

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