The genetic toxicology of metal compounds: I. Induction of λ prophage inE coli WP2S(λ)

✍ Scribed by Rossman, T. G. ;Molina, M. ;Meyer, L. W.

• Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
• Year: 1984
• Weight: 668 KB
• Volume: 6
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0192-2521
• DOI: 10.1002/em.2860060108

✦ Synopsis

A number of metal compounds have been shown to be human carcinogens. Others, while not proven human carcinogens, are able to cause tumors in laboratory animals. Short-term bacterial assays for genotoxic effects have not been successful in predicting the carcinogenicity of metal compounds. We report here the ability of some metal compounds to cause the induction of X prophage in E coli WP2,(X). By far the strongest inducing ability was observed with K2Cr04, followed by

With the exception of chromate, long-term exposures in a narrow, subtoxic dose range were required in order to demonstrate phage induction. A new microtiter assay for X prophage induction, which incorporates these features, is described. This system also was able to detect very small amounts of organic carcinogens.