DNA inversions between short inverted repeats in Escherichia coli.
Using site-specific mutagenesis in vitro, we have constructed Escherichia coli strains that allow the detection of the inversion of an 800-bp segment in the lac region. The invertible segment is bounded by inverted repeats of either 12 or 23 bp. Inversions occurring at these inverted repeats will restore the Lac+ phenotype. Inversions can be detected at both short homologies at frequencies ranging from 0.5 x 10(-8) to 1 x 10(-7). These events, which have been verified by DNA sequence analysis, are reduced up to 1000-fold in strains deficient for either RecA, RecB or RecC. They are not reduced in strains deficient in the RecF, J pathway. These results show that the RecB,C,D system can mediate rearrangements at short sequence repeats, and probably plays a major role in cellular rearrangements.
Schofield
M A
MA
Molecular Biology Institutes, University of California, Los Angeles 90024.
Agbunag
R
R
Miller
J H
JH
D001483:Base Sequence; D007446:Chromosome Inversion; D004260:DNA Repair / Q000235:genetics; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics*; D015321:Gene Rearrangement; D007763:Lac Operon; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D010957:Plasmids; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid
D004269:DNA, Bacterial