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Effect of Genotype on Mutagenicity of Niridazole in Nitroreductase-deficient Bacteria¹

Department of Pediatrics [W. T. S., J. L. B.], The Genetics Center [J. L. B.], and the Department of Pharmacology [J. L. B.], Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, and Department of Microbiology [E. J. R., H. S. R.], New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York 10595

The mutagenicity of niridazole for Salmonella typhimurium depends upon the enzymic reduction of the nitro function. The response of niridazole nitroreductase-deficient bacteria to niridazole is reduced to 4.4 and 0.19% that exhibited by the enzyme-proficient parent strain when the deficiency is the result of a base substitution and frame-shift mutation, respectively. The results are taken to indicate that the residual activity (4.4%) seen in the strain with a base substitution mutation reflects the activity of an enzyme with an amino acid substitution, while the basal level (0.19%) of activity indicates the action of a different nitroreductase with a low specificity for niridazole.

¹ This investigation was supported by the National Cancer Institute.

² Recipient of National Cancer Institute Research Career Development Award 1 KO4 CA 0043-01. To whom requests for reprints should be addressed, at Department of Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University, 2101 Adelbert Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44106.

Received 11/21/80. Accepted 3/10/81.