Frameshift mutagenesis of lambda prophage by 9-aminoacridine, proflavin and ICR-191

The changes in DNA base sequence induced in the lambda cI gene in an E. coli lysogen have been determined following mutagenesis by three acridine derivatives: 9-aminoacridine and proflavin, which bind reversibly to DNA; and ICR-191, which attaches covalently to DNA through a half-mustard group. For all three derivatives, most mutations are +1 and -1 frameshifts in runs of adjacent G:C pairs. The specificity of mutagenesis at various sites is similar for all three compounds. Prophage in mutL host cells, deficient in mismatch repair, are much more susceptible to mutagenesis by 9-aminoacridine. The induced mutations are also frameshifts, and the site specificity is the same as in lysogens of wild type cells. Thus, additions or deletions of single bases can be corrected by the mismatch repair system, but mismatch repair does not play an important role in determining the sequence specificity of the mutational events.