Association of increased spontaneous mutation rates with high levels of transcription in yeast.

Complex processes such as transcription, replication, repair, and recombination require changes in chromatin structure and the interactions of numerous trans-acting factors with DNA sequences, raising the possibility that these processes may be interrelated. Here the effect of transcription on the rate of spontaneous mutation in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was examined. With the use of a lys2 frameshift allele under the control of a highly inducible promoter, the rate of spontaneous reversion was shown to increase when the mutant gene was highly transcribed. Thus, transcriptionally active DNA and enhanced spontaneous mutation rates are associated in yeast.