title: Toxic and mutagenic effects of carcinogens on the mitochondria of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
abstract: Nineteen haploid yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) strains were used to assess the relative growth inhibitory potencies on fermentable vs. non-fermentable media of a collection of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic chemicals. The majority of carcinogens were distinctly more potent on the non-fermentable (glycerol) medium, where mitochrondrial function is required for growth, than on the fermentable medium, where it is not. The anti-mitochondrial selectivity indicated by these growth tests was much slighter for the non-carcinogens. Similarly most carcinogens induced the cytoplasmic petite mutation whereas the non-carcinogens did not. Five carcinogens which were tested impaired the development of cytochromes aa3 and b in glucose cultures. Six carcinogens, when tested, inhibited growth on three fermentable sugars, the utilisation of which requires mitochondrial function. Out of five carcinogens which were examined, four suppressed the surface-dependent phenomenon of fluocculence in a flocculating strain of yeast, at concentrations primarily affecting the mitochondrial system; the fifth had a similar but less pronounced effect.
mesh_terms: D002273:Carcinogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003470:Culture Media; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D005947:Glucose; D009153:Mutagens; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D002273:Carcinogens; D003470:Culture Media; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D009153:Mutagens; D005947:Glucose