ABSTRACT
12 organophosphorus insecticides were tested for toxicity and mutagenicity in the forward mutation test system ade6 of the yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. EMS and MMS were selected as positive controls. 3 compounds, dichlorvos, trichlorfon and paraoxon, showed a linear dose-response relationship. Among the other compounds investigated, methyl derivatives, though in general more toxic than ethyl derivatives, did not significantly increase the mutation frequency. Trichlorfon, tested in combination with malathion, methylparathion or methylazinphos (guthion), produced clearly synergistic effects for both toxicity and mutagenicity. The addition of S9 microsomal liver fraction decreased the efficiency of both single and combined treatments only where a dose-response relationship or a synergistic effect was obtained.
Subject(s)
Ascomycota/drug effects , Insecticides/toxicity , Mutagens , Mutation , Organophosphorus Compounds , Schizosaccharomyces/drug effects , Animals , Biotransformation , Insecticides/metabolism , Male , Mice , Mice, Inbred Strains , Microsomes, Liver/metabolism , Mutagenicity Tests , Structure-Activity RelationshipABSTRACT
Spermatozoa without acrosomes ("acrosomeless") have been qualitatively and quantitatively analysed in several strains of mouse. The frequency of these abnormal cells was fairly constant within the same strain, but increased with age, consanguinity and after treatment of mice at pre-meiotic stages with alkylating agents. From this behaviour, it is thought that these abnormal cells are true mutants which could be used in mutation research.
