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. 1992 Oct;132(2):295–302. doi: 10.1093/genetics/132.2.295

DNA Inversions between Short Inverted Repeats in Escherichia Coli

M A Schofield 1, R Agbunag 1, J H Miller 1
PMCID: PMC1205136  PMID: 1427029

Abstract

Using site-specific mutagenesis in vitro, we have constructed Escherichia coli strains that allow the detection of the inversion of an 800-bp segment in the lac region. The invertible segment is bounded by inverted repeats of either 12 or 23 bp. Inversions occurring at these inverted repeats will restore the Lac(+) phenotype. Inversions can be detected at both short homologies at frequencies ranging from 0.5 X 10(-8) to 1 X 10(-7). These events, which have been verified by DNA sequence analysis, are reduced up to 1000-fold in strains deficient for either RecA, RecB or RecC. They are not reduced in strains deficient in the RecF,J pathway. These results show that the RecB,C,D system can mediate rearrangements at short sequence repeats, and probably plays a major role in cellular rearrangements.

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Selected References

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