Mutagenesis assays, applications

Other microbial mutation, repair and recombination assays have also been used in chemical screening, however, the data base for carcinogenicity-mutagenicity correlation established with these in vitro test systems is relatively limited at this time.62-70 At present, the Ames Salmonella assay appears to be the most generally applicable screen for the detection of chemical mutagens. No other mutagenesis assay has been shown to respond to such a wide group of chemical types as the Salmonella mutants. 

PAHs are known to be absorbed through the skin after topical application as demonstrated by elevated levels of several PAHs in blood (22). Urinary excretion of 1-hydroxypyrene, a fluorescent metabolite of pyrene, has also been used as a marker of internal dose of coal tar (23—24). Elevated levels of sister chrcmiatid exchange (SCE) and chromosomal aberrations in peripheral blood lynphocytes and of urinary mutagens, measured by the Salmonella mutagenesis assay, have also been found (24-26). 

Tables 4 and 5 summarize the general applications of mutagenesis assays. Phase I involves utilization of the assays as primary detection, prioritization, and risk-assessment methods, and Phase II illustrates their application as ancillary tests for quality control and occupational monitoring.

Ugwu CU, Tokiwa Y, Aoyagi H, Uchiyama H, Tanaka H (2008) UV mutagenesis of Cupriavidus necator for extraceliuiar production of (R)-3-hydroxybutyric add. J Appl Microbiol 105 236-242 Valentin HE, Steinbiichel A (1994) Application of enzymatically synthesized short-chain-length hydroxy fatty acid coenzyme A thioesters for assay of polyhydroxyalkanoic add biosynthesis. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 40 699-709... 

---