Mutagenesis in the strains E. coli K-12 with different ability to genetic recombination

Data on the role of recombination in spontaneous mutagenesis in E. coli K-12 are presented. On the basis of these data it can be presumed that such mutagenesis results from errors in spontaneous recombination. The study of the dependence of mutagenesis induced by mitomycin C, nitrosoguanidine and ethylmethanesulphonate has revealed that only mutagenesis induced by mitomycin C depends on the recombination ability of the cells. Mutagenesis induced by mitomyin C results from errors in the recombinative restoration of damages to DNA induced by this mutagen.