Abstract

Retron is a prokaryotic genetic element that produces multicopy single-stranded DNA covalently linked to RNA (msDNA) by a reverse transcriptase. It was found that cells producing a large amount of msDNA, rather than those that did not, showed a higher rate of mutation. In order to understand the molecular mechanism connecting msDNA production to the high mutation rate the protein patterns were compared by two dimensional gel electrophoresis. Ten proteins were found to be differentially expressed at levels more than three fold greater in cells with than without msDNA, nine of which were identified by MALDI TOF MS. Eight of the nine identified proteins were repressed in msDNA-producing cells and, surprisingly, most were proteins functioning in the dissimilation of various carbon sources. One protein was induced four fold greater in the msDNA producing cells and was identified as a 30S ribosomal protein S2 involved in the regulation of translation. The molecular mechanism underlying the elevated mutation in msDNA-producing cell still remains elusive.

• Keywords: msDNA; retron; reverse transcriptase; Escherichia coli; mutation rate