Escherichia coli Frameshift Mutation Rate Depends on the Chromosomal Context But Not on the GATC Content Near the Mutation Site

MARIANA A. MARTINA; ELISA M. E. CORREA; CARLOS E. ARGARANA; JOSE´ L. BARRA

PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE

Año: 2012 vol. 7 p. 1 - 1

font size="1" face="AdvP403A40"> Different studies have suggested that mutation rate varies at different positions in the genome. In this work we analyzed if the chromosomal context and/or the presence of GATC sites can affect the frameshift mutation rate in the Escherichia coli genome. We show that in a mismatch repair deficient background, a condition where the mutation rate reflects the fidelity of the DNA polymerization process, the frameshift mutation rate could vary up to four times among different chromosomal contexts. Furthermore, the mismatch repair efficiency could vary up to eight times when compared at different chromosomal locations, indicating that detection and/or repair of frames