Bryn Bridges and mutagenesis: exploring the intellectual space

The products of the SOS-regulated umuDC genes are required for most UV and chemical mutagenesis in Escherichia coli. Recently it has been recognized t hat UmuC is the founding member of a superfamily of novel DNA polymerases f ound in all three kingdoms of life. Key findings leading to these insights are reviewed, placing a particular emphasis on contributions made by Bryn B ridges and on his interest in the importance of interactions between the um uDC gene products and the replicative DNA polymerase. (C) 2001 Elsevier Sci ence B.V. All rights reserved.