DNA sequence analysis of in vivo hprt mutation in human T lymphocytes

We have determined the molecular basis of hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (hprt) mutations that arose in vivo in the T lymphocytes of a normal male subject. In previous studies approximately 16% (23/141) of the mutants from this individual analyzed by Southern blot displayed large structural alterations in hprt. Thirty-two mutants without these large hprt structural alterations produced sufficient hprt cDNA for polymerase chain reaction amplification and DNA sequence analysis. Base substitutions in hprt cDNA resulting in missense mutations and one mRNA splicing aberration (inclusion of intron sequences) were observed in 18/32 of these these mutants; substitutions occurred at both AT and GC base pairs. Small deletions (3/32), a tandem change and a single base insertion were also observed among the hprt cDNAs. Exon skipping and inclusion of hprt intron sequences in the hprt cDNA were observed in an additional 9/32 of the mutants. Analysis of T cell receptor (TCR) gene rearrangements revealed that six of eight mutants with an identical hprt T----A transversion displayed the same TCR rearrangement pattern, indicating that they were clonally related and arose from a single in vivo mutational event.