Induction of SOS repair by monofunctional methanesulphonates in various Escherichia coli strains. Structure-activity relationships in comparison with mutagenicity in Salmonella typhimurium.

Seventeen monofunctional alkylmethanesulphonates of widely varying structures were investigated in the SOS Chromotest using the Escherichia coli strains PM21, PQ37 and GC4798. As a measure of the SOS-inducing activity, the beta-galactosidase enzyme units (Up/mumol) were determined. Strains PM21 and PQ37 gave similar results in spite of the presence of different genetic markers. In general, the SN1 type secondary compounds (O-alkylation) induced higher SOS repair than the SN2 type primary compounds (N-alkylation). However, methylmethanesulphonate exerted the highest SOS induction of all tested strains, presumably due to its extremely high SN2 reactivity. In general, strain GC4798, which lacks 3-alkyladenine-DNA glycosylases I and II, was more sensitive towards monofunctional alkylating compounds and in particular towards the SN2 type compounds. A good correlation was found between the SOS repair response in the E. coli strains PM21 and PQ37 and the mutagenicity in Salmonella typhimurium TA100. There was, however, little correspondence when comparing the two measures used for the SOS-inducing activity in this work, the SOSIP (SOS-inducing potency) and the specific beta-galactosidase activity (Up/mumol). This effect was explained by the different toxicity corrections used for the calculation of the two measures. Whereas for the SOSIP value the single constitutive enzyme alkaline phosphatase is used, for the Up/mumol the absorbance at 600 nm, which indicates the growth delay (overall toxicity), is utilized. The influence of the toxicity corrections is discussed in more detail.