Summary
Dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) and diethylnitrosamine (DEN), two potent carcinogens, apparently require conversion to metabolites for their activity. Breakdown products of DMN and DEN obtained in the Udenfriend hydroxylation medium [J. biol. Chem. 208, 731 (1954)] induced cytoplasmic petite mutants and genic canavanine-resistant mutants in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. After 5 hours in hydroxylation medium, DMN treatment resulted in the induction of over 90% petite mutants and DEN treatment in nearly 50%. DMN, after 6 hours in hydroxylation medium, approximately doubled the frequency of canavanineresistant mutants; after DEN treatment, the frequency was 5–6 times higher than the spontaneous frequency. Dimethylamine and diethylamine, which lack the nitroso group of the nitrosamines, did not induce mutants under any of the test conditions.
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Communicated by F. Kaudewitz
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Mayer, V.W. Mutagenicity of dimethylnitrosamine and diethylnitrosamine for Saccharomyces in an in vitro hydroxylation system. Molec. Gen. Genetics 112, 289–294 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00334430
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00334430