The lethal effect on bacteria of dimethylnitrosamine used without an activating agent.
Survival curves have been obtained for various strains of bacteria treated with dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) solutions of different concentrations. The results are compatible with the conclusion that DMN kills the bacteria by an attack on their deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and the damage so caused can be repaired by the same systems that repair damage created by ultraviolet light or X radiation. No activating agent was added to the DMN solutions and under these circumstances their activities were in proportion to the squares of their concentrations. It is suggested that this is because two molecules of DMN plus one of oxygen produce two carbonium ions, two hydroxyl ions, two formaldehyde molecules and two nitrogen molecules.
D004260:DNA Repair; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism; D004128:Dimethylnitrosamine / Q000633:toxicity*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects*; D009602:Nitrosamines / Q000633:toxicity*; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000187:drug effects*
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D009602:Nitrosamines; D004128:Dimethylnitrosamine