Mutations affecting sensitivity of the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum to DNA-damaging agents.

We describe 22 new mutants of D. discoideum that are sensitive to DNA damage. These mutants were isolated on the basis of sensitivity to either temperature, gamma-rays, or 4-nitroquinolone-1-oxide (4NQO). The doses of gamma-rays, ultraviolet light (UV), and 4NQO required to reduce the survival of colony-forming ability of these mutants to 10% (D10) range from 2% to 100% of the D10s for the nonmutant, parent strains. For most of the mutants, those which are very sensitive to one agent are very sensitive to all agents tested and those which are moderately sensitive to one agent, are moderately sensitive to all agents tested. One mutant is sensitive only to 4NQO. Linkage relationships have been examined for 13 of these mutants. This linkage information was used to design complementation tests to determine allelism with previously characterized complementation groups affecting sensitivity to radiation. 4 of the new mutants fall within previously identified complementation groups and 3 new complementation groups have been identified (radJ, radK and radL). Other new loci probably also exist among these new mutants. This brings the number of characterized mutants of D. discoideum which are sensitive to DNA-damaging agents to 33 and the number of assigned complementation groups to 11.