The SOS-function-inducing activity of chemical mutagens in Escherichia coli

The SOS-function-inducing activities of 42 chemical mutagens were investigated in Escherichia coli K12. The induction of the SOS function was assayed by monitoring the beta-galactosidase activity in the sulA::lacZ fusion strain PQ37 . To correct for the inhibitory effects of test chemicals on mRNA or protein synthesis, the level of the constitutive alkaline phosphatase was assayed in parallel. Most of the mutagens reported to be mutagenic to the Ames' Salmonella tester strains showed the SOS-function-inducing activity. The inducible SOS repair may be responsible for not only base-change mutations but also frameshift mutations. However, 9-aminoacridine, ethidium bromide and 4-nitro-o-phenylenediamine did not induce the SOS function, suggesting that the mutagenesis induced by these mutagens may occur independently of SOS repair. Present results support the SOS mutagenesis model that error-prone SOS repair plays an important role in mutagenesis induced by most chemical mutagens.