Abstract

The mutational spectra in the manganese (II) peroxidase gene (mnp) of the Pleurotus ostreatus mutants induced by gamma radiation (Co^60) give evidence to prove the effect of gamma radiation on the gene. mnp of each mutant was cloned, sequenced and analyzed. Among the 1941 base pairs of the sequenced region of the mnp genes of 4 mutants (PO-5, -6, -15 and -16), nine mutational hotspots on which the same base was mutated simultaneously were found, additionally 6 mutations were also found at different positions in the mnp gene. These mutation-spectra were predominantly A:T_G:C transitions (50.1%). By the analysis of putative amino acid sequences, PO-5 and PO-16 mutants have 3 and 1 mutated residues, respectively. Since the mutational spectra reported herein are specific to the mnp gene, we propose that the mutational hotspots for the gamma radiation could be in the gene(s) within cells.

• Keywords: gamma radiation; manganese (II) peroxidase gene; mutational spectrum; Pleurotus ostreatus