Publication Date

1989

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Meechan, Paul

Degree Name

M.S. (Master of Science)

Legacy Department

Department of Biological Sciences

LCSH

DNA; Genetics; Enzymes

Abstract

Recent work has suggested that the Pyr(6-A)Pyo lesion, a minor component of the DNA lesions generated after exposure to ultraviolet light, may be more mutagenic than the dominant (5-6) cyclobutane dimer. Testing this hypothesis in cells from placental mammals has not been possible because the presence of a photolyase, an enzyme capable of monomerizing the (5-6) dimer but not the (6-A) lesion, has not been clearly demonstrated. Previous experiments have demonstrated photolyase activity in a variety of embryonic chick tissues. The work described herein details the use of direct transfection and the screening of a genomic cosmid library to isolate the gene(s) encoding this photolyase. The results show the difficulties in using transfection and failure of the library to generate a phr+ transfectant. Isolated phr would be used to generate phr+ mammalian cells. Generation of photolyase-containing excision- deficient mammalian cells would allow the mutagenic and lethal effects of minor photoproducts induced by ultraviolet light to be compared to the dominant (5-6) cyclobutane dimer. Isolation of the chick photolyase gene would also enable evolutionary comparisons to be made with the E. coli and yeast phr genes.

Comments

Includes bibliographical references (pages 101-114)

Extent

vii, 114 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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