DNA fingerprint analysis in chemically mutagenized Chinese hamster lung cells

Using a multi locus minisatellite Per-6 DNA probe, we performed DNA fingerprint analysis. Chinese hamster lung (CHL) cells were treated with six model chemicals: N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, mitomycin C, methyl methanesulfonate, furylfuramide, 2-acetylamino-fluorene, and cyclophosphamide, with or without S9 mix. 771 hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase deficient clones (749 from mutagen-treated cells and 22 from untreated cells) and 90 unselected clones from untreated cells were isolated and analyzed. The spontaneous mutation frequency at CHL cell minisatellite loci was 0.31–0.63%. All the chemicals increased mutation frequencies. Almost all mutations localized to the three specific minisatellite loci corresponding to 4.2, 3.8, and 2.4 kb bands, suggesting that these regions are more unstable and susceptible to mutation. DNA fingerprint analysis is a promising technique for detecting mutations at neutral DNA regions, especially recombinational mutations, and may be useful for surveying genetic instability related to heritable defects or aging.