Detection of DNA Damage and Repair in Bacteria

Abstract

During the initial correlation studies conducted with the Ames mutation assay in Salmonella, considerable attention was drawn to the apparent “false negative” responses. Within the context of this concern, several investigators have proposed that the Ames test should be supplemented with other bacterial techniques believed to identify the Ames “false” negatives. Two of the most commonly used tests in this regard measure the DNA-modifying activity of chemicals. These tests do not measure mutation, but rather use differential sensitivity between two bacterial strains, one of which cannot repair DNA damage, as a method of identifying genotoxic agents.