The effect of Kras mutation on somatic mutation rate

Mutations in the KRAS gene are commonly found in human cancerous tissue while in previous studies we have found many examples of mutated KRAS in intestinal epithelium with apparently normal morphology. Progression from KRAS mutated normal to cancerous tissue could be facilitated by a "mutator phenotype" whereby mutated KRAS results in a general increase in the cellular somatic mutation rate. This study was designed to compare the somatic mutation rate (primarily SNVs) of murine intestinal stem cells that have either the WT or mutated (G12D) Kras gene.