The restriction endonuclease Alu I induces chromosomal aberrations and mutations in the hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase locus, but not in the Na+/K+ ATPase locus in V79 hamster cells

Abstract The restriction endonuclease Alu I induces chromosomal aberrations and mutations in the hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) locus as measured by 6-thioguanine resistance (TG r ) in V79 hamster cells. Alu I does not induce mutations in the Na + /K + ATPase locus as measured by ouabain resistance (OUA r ). The data are interpreted to mean that most if not all Alu I-induced TG r mutations represent chromosomal aberrations.