title: Repair of base-base mismatches in simian and human cells.
abstract: Mismatched heteroduplexes arise as intermediates of several dissimilar genetic processes. The outcome of these genetic events will therefore be influenced by the efficiency and specificity of mismatch repair. We have studied the correction of base-base mispairs in simian and human fibroblasts by transfecting the cells with derivatives of SV40 DNA, each harboring a single mispair in a defined orientation. Analysis of plaques revealed that correction efficiencies for homomispairs followed the pattern G.G greater than C.C greater than or equal to A.A greater than T.T. Repair bias was influenced by flanking sequences. Correction efficiences for heteromispairs followed the pattern of G.T greater than A.C greater than C.T greater than A.G and repair favored the retention of G + C by a substantial margin. This repair specificity could lead to a gene conversion bias favoring the accumulation of G + C in sequences subject to high levels of recombination or unequal exchange.
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Radiobiology Unit, Harwell, Didcot, England.
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jiricny
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001482:Base Composition; D001483:Base Sequence; D001816:Bloom Syndrome / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D004260:DNA Repair; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D005785:Gene Conversion; D005821:Genetic Techniques; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D013539:Simian virus 40 / Q000235:genetics; D014162:Transfection; D014983:Xeroderma Pigmentosum / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral