Mutability of bacteriophage M13 by ultraviolet light: role of pyrimidine dimers

The role of pyrimidine dimers in mutagenesis by ultraviolet light was examined by measuring the UV-induced reversion of six different bacteriophage M13 amber mutants for which the neighboring DNA sequences are known. The mutational response at amber (TAG) codons preceded by a guanine or adenine (where no pyrimidine dimer can be formed) were compared with those preceded by thymine or cytosine (where dimer formation is possible). Equivalent levels of UV-induced mutagenesis were observed at both kinds of sites. This observation demonstrates that there is no requirement for a pyrimidine dimer directly at the site of UV-induced mutation in this single-stranded DNA phage. UV irradiation of the phage was also performed in the presence of Ag+ ions, which specifically sensitize the DNA to dimer formation. The two methods of irradiation, when compared at equal survival levels (and presumably equal dimer frequencies), produced equivalent frequencies of reversion of the amber phage. We believe these results indicate that while the presence of pyrimidine dimers may be a prerequisite for UV mutagenesis, the actual mutagenic event can occur at a site some distance removed from a dimer.