Crane G J, Thomas S M, Jones M E
School of Medicine 6E-413, Flinders University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.
Mutat Res. 1996 Jul 22;354(2):171-82. doi: 10.1016/0027-5107(96)00009-7.
We have investigated the accuracy with which mutation rates may be estimated using a modification of the Luria and Delbrück fluctuation experiment protocol. The modification involves growing a larger-than-usual culture, and plating out a small aliquot of it. Monte Carlo simulations of the experiments confirm that the modification leads to a decrease in the coefficient of variation of the estimated mutation rate where this is based on the median number of mutants detected in a number of cultures grown in parallel. If sets of experimental and control cultures are compared using the Mann-Whitney U-test, then fractional increases in mutation rate can be reliably detected using relatively small numbers of cultures. The modified protocols promise better estimates of mutation rates, offer a powerful test of differences in mutation rates, and are easier to implement in practice.
我们研究了使用改良的卢里亚-德尔布吕克波动实验方案来估计突变率的准确性。这种改良包括培养比平常更大的培养物，并接种一小份该培养物。实验的蒙特卡罗模拟证实，这种改良会使基于在多个平行培养的培养物中检测到的突变体中位数估计的突变率变异系数降低。如果使用曼-惠特尼U检验比较实验组和对照组培养物，那么使用相对少量的培养物就能可靠地检测到突变率的分数增加。改良后的方案有望更好地估计突变率，提供对突变率差异的有力检验，并且在实践中更易于实施。
