Open AccessMutagenic Action of Nitrofurans on Euglena gracilis and Mycobacterium phlei
Author(s) -
L. Ebringer,
A. Jurášek,
J. Koníčék,
Miluše Koníčková,
N Lahitová,
Stanislav Trubačík
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.07
H-Index - 259
eISSN - 1070-6283
pISSN - 0066-4804
DOI - 10.1128/aac.9.4.682
Subject(s) - nitrofuran , euglena gracilis , auxotrophy , biology , mutant , mycobacterium phlei , biochemistry , mode of action , microbiology and biotechnology , antibiotics , mycobacterium , bacteria , genetics , chloroplast , gene
There is a pronounced difference between the action of antibiotics and nitrofurans onEuglena gracilis . Those antibiotics that induce hereditary loss of chloroplasts do so only when they affect dividing cells. On the other hand, nitrofurans induce a mass mutation in both dividing and nondividing cells (under conditions of continuous illumination of cultures). It was found that a breakdown product, 5-nitro-2-furaldehyde, is liberated from furadantin and furoxone. This intermediate is responsible for the observed specific mutagenicity of 5-nitrofuran drugs. The mutagenic action of 5-nitro-2-furaldehyde is very similar to that of nitrosoguanidine. Both compounds induce bleached mutants ofE. gracilis when acting on growing or resting cells, regardless of the dark or light conditions. Similarly, both compounds induce reverse mutations in auxotrophic strains ofMycobacterium phlei .