Spectrum of mutations in single-stranded DNA phage M13mp2 exposed to sunlight: predominance of G-to-C transversion

Sunlight is regarded to be a cause of skin cancer, though the mechanisms underlying the causation are still unclear. The genotoxic effects of sunlight are believed to be induced by pyrimidine photoproducts produced by the action of the UV portion of sunlight. However, it is not clear whether these pyrimidine modifications are the sole sources for the mutations. In the present study, we have analyzed the mutagenic potential of sunlight on the lacZ alpha region of single-stranded DNA phage M13mp2 using an SOS-deficient recA- strain and an SOS-induced rec+ strain of Escherichia coli as hosts. Exposure to sunlight caused mutations; approximately 10-fold increases in the mutation frequency were observed with the use of both hosts. When SOS functions were induced in the host CSH50, the mutation frequencies increased another 10-fold over those obtained with the host lacking the SOS functions. DNA sequences of the mutants were analyzed by automated DNA sequencers. Sequence changes were identified in 53 mutants from the mutant DNAs obtained using NR9099 as host and in 78 mutant samples obtained using UV-treated CSH50. Most of the mutations were transversions of guanine, either G to C or G to T. Furthermore, 59% of the identified sequence changes in the SOS- host and 40% of those in the SOS-induced host were G-to-C transversions. These transversions may be caused by unidentified guanine damages or by the effects of damage at pyrimidines distal from guanines to be mutated.