Open AccessTranscription-Associated Mutation in Bacillus subtilis Cells under Stress
Author(s) -
Christine Pybus,
Mario Pedraza-Reyes,
Corinna Ross,
Helen Martin,
Katherine Ona,
Ronald E. Yasbin,
Eduardo A. Robleto
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of bacteriology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.652
H-Index - 246
eISSN - 1067-8832
pISSN - 0021-9193
DOI - 10.1128/jb.00354-10
Subject(s) - biology , genetics , transcription (linguistics) , bacillus subtilis , mutant , reversion , transcription factor , mutagenesis , gene , mutation , point mutation , allele , auxotrophy , phenotype , philosophy , linguistics , bacteria
Adaptive (stationary phase) mutagenesis is a phenomenon by which nondividing cells acquire beneficial mutations as a response to stress. Although the generation of adaptive mutations is essentially stochastic, genetic factors are involved in this phenomenon. We examined how defects in a transcriptional factor, previously reported to alter the acquisition of adaptive mutations, affected mutation levels in a gene under selection. The acquisition of mutations was directly correlated to the level of transcription of a defectiveleuC allele placed under selection. To further examine the correlation between transcription and adaptive mutation, we placed a point-mutated allele,leuC427 , under the control of an inducible promoter and assayed the level of reversion to leucine prototrophy under conditions of leucine starvation. Our results demonstrate that the level of Leu+ reversions increased significantly in parallel with the induced increase in transcription levels. This mutagenic response was not observed under conditions of exponential growth. Since transcription is a ubiquitous biological process, transcription-associated mutagenesis may influence evolutionary processes in all organisms.