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INTERIM PROCEDURES FOR CONDUCTING THE 'SALMONELLA'/MICROSOMAL MUTAGENICITY ASSAY (AMES TEST)
Citation:
Williams, L. AND J. Preston. INTERIM PROCEDURES FOR CONDUCTING THE 'SALMONELLA'/MICROSOMAL MUTAGENICITY ASSAY (AMES TEST). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/4-82/068 (NTIS PB88205380), 1983.
Description:
The Ames assay is a rapid-screening procedure for determining the presence of mutagenic and carcinogenic pure chemicals, complex environmental mixtures, and commercial products. The procedure described incorporates modifications designed to make Ames testing data more precise and reproducible. It is intended as an interim procedure for use in the Agency's hazardous waste monitoring program. The assay uses five standard strains of histidine-requiring Salmonella typhimurium mutants that revert after interaction with mutagens to histidine-independence (his+). Certain mutagens are directly active in the system while others require activation by mammalian enzymes added to the test system. The enzymes perform metabolic conversions mimicking those of mammalian organs in vivo. Test sensitivity to some mutagens is enhanced by additional mutations in the test strains and by the plasmid pKM101 in two of the strains. Counts of revertant colonies on test plates are compared to counts of the same strain on control plates.