High mutagenic activity of 3-azido-1,2-propanediol (azidoglycerol, AG) in strain D7 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

3-Azido-1,2-propanediol (azidoglycerol, AG) showed a high mutagenicity in strain D7 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. At 5 mM it increased the spontaneous frequency of isoleucine revertants 3500 times and the frequency of gene convertants 3000 times during 24 h of growth, reducing the growth rate to 30%. In non-growth conditions, treatment with 150 mM of AG for 3 h reduced cell survival to 60% and enhanced the frequency of isoleucine revertants 490 times and tryptophan-independent convertants 50 times. At equal survival levels, AG was found to be 3000-fold more mutagenic and 200-fold more convertogenic than sodium azide.