Cross-linking of MutS(A469C), MutS(N497C), CFMutS or WTMutS (5 μM on the monomer basis) with DNA duplex 17GT-dUsacryl-5, 17GT-dUmacryl-5, 17GT-dUlacryl-5, 17AT-dUsacryl, 17AT-dUmacryl or 17AT-dUlacryl (0.5 μM) containing a 32P label at the 5′ end of the modified strand. Analysis by 8% polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) with 0.1% of SDS. Autoradiograph (a) and photographs (b,d) of the gels stained with a Coomassie G250 solution. (a,b) Lanes 1–6: products of MutS(A469C) cross-linking with duplex 17GT-dUsacryl-5, 17GT-dUmacryl-5, 17GT-dUlacryl-5, 17AT-dUsacryl, 17AT-dUmacryl or 17AT-dUlacryl, respectively. (c) Efficiency of a MutS(A469C) or MutS(N497C) reaction with 17GT-dUnacryl-5 or 17AT-dUnacryl. The error bars represent the standard deviation of three independent experiments; p < 0.05. (d) Interaction of CFMutS (lanes 1–3) or WTMutS (lanes 4–6) with 17GT-dUsacryl-5, 17GT-dUmacryl-5 or 17GT-dUlacryl-5. Lanes K correspond to the protein without DNA; DNA lane: 17GT, M: markers of protein molecular mass, kDa.