Identification of a umuDC locus in Salmonella typhimurium LT2.

The umuDC operon of Escherichia coli is required for efficient mutagenesis by UV light and many other DNA-damaging agents. The existence of a umuDC analog in Salmonella typhimurium has been questioned. With DNA probes to the E. coli umuD and umuC genes, we detected, by Southern blot hybridization, sequences similar to both of these genes in S. typhimurium LT2. We also confirmed that the presence of cloned E. coli umuD enhances the UV mutability and resistance of S. typhimurium. Our data strongly suggest that S. typhimurium contains a functional umuDC operon.