Escherichia coli gene that controls sensitivity to alkylating agents.

A new type of Escherichia coli mutant which shows increased sensitivity to methyl methane sulfonate but not to UV light or to gamma rays was isolated after mutagenesis with N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine. The mutant is unable to reactivate phage lambdavir or double-stranded phiX174 DNA (replicative form) that had been treated with methyl methane sulfonate. The mutant is sensitive to other alkylating agents, such as ethyl methane sulfonate, mitomycin C, and N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, as well. It grows normally and exhibits almost normal recombination proficiency. The mutant possesses normal levels of DNA polymerase I, exonuclease I, exonuclease V, endonuclease specific for methyl methane sulfonate-treated DNA, and 3-methyladenine-DNA glycosidase activities. The genetic locus responsible has been named alk and is located near his on the chromosome.