title: Genetic analysis of delta helD and delta uvrD mutations in combination with other genes in the RecF recombination pathway in Escherichia coli: suppression of a ruvB mutation by a uvrD deletion.
abstract: Helicase II (uvrD gene product) and helicase IV (helD gene product) have been shown previously to be involved in the RecF pathway of recombination. To better understand the role of these two proteins in homologous recombination in the RecF pathway [recBCsbcB(C) background, we investigated the interactions between helD, uvrD and the following RecF pathway genes: recF, recO, recN and ruvAB. We observed synergistic interactions between uvrD ant the recF, recN, recO and recG genes in both conjugational recombination and the repair of methylmethane sulfonate (MMS)-induced DNA damage. No synergistic interactions were detected between helD and the recF, recO and regN genes when conjugational recombination was analyzed. We did, however, detect synergistic interactions between helD and recF/recO in recombinational repair. Surprisingly, the uvrD deletion completely suppressed the phenotype of a ruvB mutation in a recBCsbcB(C) background. Both conjugational recombination efficiency and MMS-damaged DNA repair proficiency returned to wild-type levels in the deltauvrDruvB9 double mutant. Suppression of the effects of the ruvB mutation by a uvrD deletion was dependent on the recG and recN genes and not dependent on the recF/O/R genes. These data are discussed in the context of two "RecF" homologous recombination pathways operating in a recBCsbcB(C) strain background.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 27599-3280, USA.
authors.forename: V M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Mendonca
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Matson
mesh_terms: D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000235:genetics*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D004265:DNA Helicases / Q000235:genetics*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000528:radiation effects; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D005838:Genotype; D007700:Kinetics; D008741:Methyl Methanesulfonate / Q000494:pharmacology; D009154:Mutation; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D013045:Species Specificity; D013997:Time Factors; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; C061260:RuvB protein, Bacteria; C489340:recF protein, E coli; C066218:recF protein, Bacteria; D008741:Methyl Methanesulfonate; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases; C506746:UvrD protein, E coli; C059716:helD protein, E coli; D004265:DNA Helicases