Molecular analysis of mutations induced by chemical carcinogens in mammalian cells. II. The use of recombinant DNA vectors

Abstract

One approach to molecular and mechanistic studies of mutagenesis in mammalian cells is to introduce a mutational target gene into the cells as part of a shuttle vector which is capable of replication in both mammalian cells and bacteria. Following mutagenesis in the mammalian cell host, the shuttle vector sequences are recovered from the mammalian cells and introduced into bacteria, where large amounts of the mutant gene can be produced for sequence analysis. The variety of shuttle vector systems which have been developed for this purpose will be described. Shuttle vectors have been widely used for the molecular analysis of mutations induced by physical and chemical agents and to investigate the factors which modulate mutation fixation. The data regarding chemically induced mutational spectra will be reviewed with particular emphasis on the studies aimed to dissect the complex process which lead from DNA lesion to mutation.