title: Determination of the rate of base-pair substitution and insertion mutations in retrovirus replication.
abstract: We recently described a protocol for determination of retrovirus mutation rates, that is, the mutation frequency in a single cycle of retrovirus replication (J.P. Dougherty and H.M. Temin, Mol. Cell. Biol. 6:4378-4395, 1987; J.P. Dougherty and H.M. Temin, p. 18-23, in J. H. Miller and M. P. Calos, ed., Gene Transfer Vectors for Mammalian Cells, 1987). We used this protocol to determine the mutation rates for defined mutations in a replicating retrovirus by using a spleen necrosis virus-based vector. We determined that the mutation rate for a single base pair substitution during replication of this avian retrovirus is 2 x 10(-5) per base pair per replication cycle and the insertion rate is 10(-7) per base pair per replication cycle. It will be possible to use this protocol to determine mutation rates for other retroviruses.
authors.affiliation: McArdle Laboratory, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dougherty
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Temin
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes / Q000378:metabolism; D005784:Gene Amplification; D005785:Gene Conversion; D005814:Genes, Viral; D009154:Mutation; D012190:Retroviridae / Q000235:genetics*; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes