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Title: Yeast screening system for the detection of mutation, recombination, and aneuploidy

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5670664

Two strains of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae were constructed to detect genetic damage. Strain XD99 can detect chromosome loss, important in the induction of teratogenesis, aneuploidy, and possibly carcinogenesis. Two positive selection techniques were developed which select for the simultaneous loss of both arms of chromosome X. Confirmation of chromosome loss using a centromere-linked marker was found to be essential for distinguishing chromosome loss from coincident crossing-over. The high selectivity of strain XD99 allowed the development of a spot test for chromosome loss. Methyl benzimidazole-2-yl-carbamate and ethyl methanesulfonate induced chromosome loss in the spot test. The two carcinogens 4-nitroquinoline-N-oxide and N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine also induced chromosome loss. Chromosome X monosomics were found to be unstable and were restored to euploidy. This restoration of euploidy may have important implications regarding chromosome loss as a mechanism of promotion. Strain XD83 can detect multiple genetic changes: nuclear frameshift and base pair substitution mutations, nuclear mitotic crossing-over and gene conversion and mitochondrial large deletions and forward point mutations. Ethyl methanesulfonate, ICR-170, N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, 4-nitroquinoline-N-oxide, ultraviolet light and ethidium bromide were tested. None of the carcinogens were specific in their induced spectrum of damage. Only ethidium bromide induced a highly specific spectrum of damage: petite induction. The variety of endpoints monitored here may allow the detection of certain carcinogens and other genetically toxic agents which have escaped detection in other systems. This system may be useful in the study of possible mechanisms of carcinogenesis and aneuploidy.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC03-76SF00098
OSTI ID:
5670664
Report Number(s):
LBL-16686; ON: DE84002180
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Thesis
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English