pHAZE: a shuttle vector system for the detection and analysis of ionizing radiation-induced mutations

We have designed and constructed a shuttle vector system, pHAZE, that is maintained as an episome in normal human fibroblasts, has a low background mutation frequency, and is capable of detecting a spectrum of mutations, including deletions up to 8.3 kb. The efficacy of this system was demonstrated by using it to analyze mutations produced by X-rays, which induced both point mutations and large deletions in pHAZE.