Location

University of Nevada Las Vegas, Student Union Ball Room

Start Date

6-8-2009 9:30 AM

End Date

6-8-2009 12:30 PM

Description

It is widely known and accepted that the cause of many mutations in cells are generated during the replication process of actively dividing cells, however more recent research has shown that mutations also arise in non growing conditions, a phenomenon known stationary phase mutagenesis. Much of what is known come from studies in eukaryotic and bacterial models. It is proposed that in nongrowing cells, the process of transcription plays an important role in mutagenesis. I will test the hypothesis that secondary structures formed of DNA generated transcription promote mutagenesis. The sequences transcriptiongenerated structures are speculated to be prone to mutations by exposing regions of single stranded DNA to lesions. To test this hypothesis, I examined the Bacillus subtilis gene thiF, predicted by in silico analysis to be prone to mutations at particular locations during transcription. By altering the base sequence of this gene, the stability of its stem-loop structures is affected, thereby allowing us to test whether transcription of the altered sequence influences accumulation of in thiF. Our assay for detection of mutations is based on reversion to thiamine auxotrophy in cells under conditions of starvation. Ultimately, these experiments will increase our understanding of how mutations occur in cells of all domains of life.

Keywords

Genetic mutations; Genetic transcriptions; Mutagenesis; Stationary phase mutagenesis

Disciplines

Genetics

Language

English

Comments

Abstract & poster


Included in

Genetics Commons

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Aug 6th, 9:30 AM Aug 6th, 12:30 PM

DNA secondary structures and their contribution to mutagenesis in B. subtilis stationary phase cells

University of Nevada Las Vegas, Student Union Ball Room

It is widely known and accepted that the cause of many mutations in cells are generated during the replication process of actively dividing cells, however more recent research has shown that mutations also arise in non growing conditions, a phenomenon known stationary phase mutagenesis. Much of what is known come from studies in eukaryotic and bacterial models. It is proposed that in nongrowing cells, the process of transcription plays an important role in mutagenesis. I will test the hypothesis that secondary structures formed of DNA generated transcription promote mutagenesis. The sequences transcriptiongenerated structures are speculated to be prone to mutations by exposing regions of single stranded DNA to lesions. To test this hypothesis, I examined the Bacillus subtilis gene thiF, predicted by in silico analysis to be prone to mutations at particular locations during transcription. By altering the base sequence of this gene, the stability of its stem-loop structures is affected, thereby allowing us to test whether transcription of the altered sequence influences accumulation of in thiF. Our assay for detection of mutations is based on reversion to thiamine auxotrophy in cells under conditions of starvation. Ultimately, these experiments will increase our understanding of how mutations occur in cells of all domains of life.