MOUSE MINISATELLITE MUTATIONS INDUCED BY IONIZING-RADIATION

The detection of changes in germline mutation rate in human population s remains extremely difficult. Estimating the genetic hazards of radia tion and other mutagens in humans therefore depends on extrapolation f rom experimental systems. Because of the very low frequency of spontan eous mutation at most loci, enormous samples are required to detect in creases of mutation rate. A very high rate of spontaneous germline mut ation altering the length of minisatellite loci has been found in huma n populations and therefore this system might be useful for detecting induced mutations in relatively small samples. Here we present evidenc e that minisatellite mutation rate in mice is increased by low doses o f ionizing radiation.