Chemical Mutagens: Principles and Methods for Their Detection Volume 1

As editor I want especially to thank Dr. Ernst Freese for helpful co­ operation in preparing these volumes, and to express my appreclatlOn to Drs. Kurt Hirschhorn and Marvin Legator, the other members of the editorial board. Alexander Hollaender January 1971 Preface The purpose of these volumes is to encourage the development and ap­ plication of testing and monitoring procedures to avert significant human exposure to mutagenic agents. The need for protection against exposure to possibly mutagenic chemicals is only now coming to be generally realized. The recently issued Report of the Secretary's Commission on Pesticides and Their Possible Effects on Health (the Mrak Report-U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, December 1969) has made an important start. Its Panel on Mutagenicity recommends that all currently used pesticides be tested for mutagenicity in several recently developed and relatively simple systems. Whether recommendations such as these are actually put into effect will depend on convincing government, industry, and the public that the problem is important, that the proposed tests would be effective, and that they can be conducted at a cost that is not prohibitive. Why is it important to screen environmental agents for mutagenic activity? To those who will read this book, the answer is self-evident. The sine qua non of all that we value and all that we are is our genetic heritage.

Table of Contents:
of Volume 1.- 1 Molecular Mechanisms of Mutations.- I. Introduction.- II. Causes and Types of Alterations of the Hereditary Material and Protection Against Them.- III. Detection of Chromosome Aberrations and Systems of Genetic Analysis.- IV. Primary DNA Alterations and Their Genotypic and Phenotypic Consequences.- V. The Effect of Different Agents on DNA and Chromosomes.- VI. References.- 2 Correlation Between Teratogenic and Mutagenic Effects of Chemicals in Mammals.- I. Introduction.- II. Frequency of Effects of Chemicals.- III. Specificity of Action of Chemicals.- IV. Dose.- V. Species, Sex, and Strain Differences.- VI. Timing.- VII. Are Induced Malformations Due to Mutations?.- VIII. Mutagenicity and Teratogenicity Testing.- IX. Conclusion.- X. References.- 3 The Mutagenicity of Chemical Carcinogens: Correlations, Problems, and Interpretations.- I. Introduction.- II. Ultimate Carcinogenic Forms of Chemical Carcinogens Their Reactivities.- III. Mutagenic Activity of Carcinogenic Chemicals.- IV. Conclusions.- V. References.- 4 Effects on DNA: Chemical Methods.- I. Introduction.- II. Isolation of DNA.- III. Degradation of DNA.- IV. Methods of Separation of Products.- V. Methods of Detection and Identification of Products.- VI. References.- 5 Physical-Chemical Methods of the Detection of the Effect of Mutagens on DNA.- I. Introduction.- II. DNA Substrates for Physical Studies.- III. Physical Methods.- IV. Changes Resulting from Alkylation.- V. References.- 6 Effects on DNA: Transforming Principle.- I. Introduction.- II. Biological Systems.- III. Mutagenesis.- IV. Measuring Mutagenesis.- V. Discussion.- VI. Summary Statement.- VII. Experimental Methods.- VIII. Acknowledgments.- IX. References.- 7 Mutagen Screening with Virulent Bacteriophages.- I. Introduction.- II. Bacteriophages as Genetic Systems.- III. Measuring Viral Mutation Rates.- IV. Mutational Pathways.- V. Bacteriophage Screening Systems.- VI. Conclusions.- VII. References.- 8 Prophage Induction in Lysogenic Bacteria as a Method of Detecting Potential Mutagenic, Carcinogenic, Carcinostatic, and Teratogenic Agents.- I. Introduction.- II. General Properties of Lysogenic Bacteria.- III. Induction of Phage Production in Lysogenic Bacteria and Breakdown of the Lysogenic State.- IV. Experimental Prophage Induction Techniques.- V. Known Prophage Inducing Agents.- VI. Prophage Inducing Agents Present in the Human Environment.- VII. Conclusions.- VIII. References.- 9 The Detection of Chemical Mutagens with Enteric Bacteria.- I. Introduction.- II. Discussion.- III. General Methods.- IV. Acknowledgments.- V. References.- Addendum to Chapter 9 Mutagenesis Studies with Escherichia coli Mutants with Known Amino Acid (and Base-Pair) Changes.- I. Introduction.- II. Mutants with Amino Acid Changes in the Tryptophan Synthetase ? Subunit (A Protein).- III. References.- 10 Mutation Induction in Yeast.- I. Introduction.- II. General Description of the Organisms.- III. Mutation.- IV. Mitotic Segregation.- V. Acknowledgments.- VI. References.- Author Index.