Hypotonic buffers (20 mM phosphate or 40 mM Tris) were found to make cells of Escherichia coli permeable to low-molecular-weight compounds without significantly affecting cell viability. When cells of E. coli were suspended in hypotonic buffers during irradiation no repair of radiation-induced DNA single-strand breaks occurred. Addition of the four deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates and Mg/sup 2/+ after irradiation brings about a recovery of the rejoining ability. NAD stimulated repair in the presence of the four deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates and Mg/sup 2/+, while the presence of ATP had no significant effect. The initial yield of radiation-induced DNA single-strand breaks was increased in cells treated with hypotonic buffers. This is explained by an efflux of a large fraction of the intracellular compounds containing sulfhydryl groups. Cells of E. coli in 40 mM Tris buffer incorporated exogenous deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates at half the rate observed in cells made permeable by toluene. This DNA synthesis occurred in polAl cells and was ATP dependent and thus probably represents semiconservative replication.
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Erik Boye (1980) studied this question.