An altered spectrum of herpes simplex virus mutations mediated by an antimutator DNA polymerase

Gene. 1995 Jan 23;152(2):191-3. doi: 10.1016/0378-1119(94)00712-2.

Abstract

The mutation spectrum attributable to an antimutator DNA polymerase in a eukaryotic cell was examined. Drug-resistant thymidine kinase (tk) mutants derived from both a wild-type (wt) strain, KOS and an antimutator DNA polymerase (pol) mutant, PAAr5, of herpes simplex virus (HSV), were isolated, and the mutated tk genes were characterized at the sequence level. While both transition and frameshift mutations were found in the mutated tk genes derived from the wt KOS Pol, all the PAAr5-mediated mutants analyzed were frameshift mutations. These results imply that the wt HSV Pol is less faithful than the antimutator enzyme, at least in part, because of its propensity to mediate transition mutations.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Antimutagenic Agents*
  • Base Sequence
  • DNA, Viral
  • DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / metabolism*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutation*
  • Simplexvirus / genetics*
  • Thymidine Kinase / genetics

Substances

  • Antimutagenic Agents
  • DNA, Viral
  • Thymidine Kinase
  • DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase