Mutagenic activity of austocystins - secondary metabolites of Aspergillus ustus

Journal Article · Sat Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01607817· OSTI ID:6787807

Kfir, R; Johannsen, E; Vleggaar, R

Mycotoxins constitute a group of toxic secondary fungal metabolites. Fungi that produce these toxins frequently contaminate food and feed, creating a potential threat to human and animal health. Biological activities of mycotoxins include, amongst others: toxicity, mutagenicity and carcinogenicity, which can be expressed with or without metabolic activation. Austocystins are similar in structure to aflatoxin B/sup 1/ and are probably synthesized in a similar manner. The Ames Salmonella test, a widely accepted method employed for the detection of mutagenic activity of various chemical compounds was used for testing the mutagenic activity of different mycotoxins. As aflatoxin B/sup 1/ was found by the Ames test to be highly mutagenic, the same test was applied for the study of possible mutagenicity of the austocystins. The mutagenic activity of these compounds was studied with and without metabolic activation using two tester strains of S. typhimurium, one capable of detecting frame shift mutation (strain TA98) and the other capable of detecting base pair substitution (strain TA100).

• Research Organization: National Chemical Research Lab., Pretoria, South Africa
• OSTI ID: 6787807
• Journal Information: Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol.; (United States), Journal Name: Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol.; (United States) Vol. 37:5; ISSN BECTA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANTIGENS
ASPERGILLUS
BACTERIA
FUNGI
MATERIALS
METABOLIC ACTIVATION
METABOLITES
MICROORGANISMS
MUTAGEN SCREENING
MUTATIONS
PLANTS
SALMONELLA
SALMONELLA TYPHIMURIUM
SCREENING
TOXIC MATERIALS
TOXINS