Detection and identification of mutagens by the adducts formed upon reaction with guanosine derivatives.

Mutagens present in crude samples such as heated glucose can be detected or identified by means of the adducts formed upon reaction with a fluorescent guanosine derivative (FG) or isopropylideneguanosine (IPG). After the reaction of IPG with heated glucose, two adducts were isolated by high-performance liquid chromatography. One of the adducts was identified as the cyclic adduct formed between IPG and glyoxal. Mesoxaldialdehyde, which is structurally related to glyoxal, also produced a cyclic IPG-adduct and showed mutagenic activity in Salmonella typhimurium strain TA100. The other adduct isolated from the reaction mixture of IPG and heated glucose was 8-hydroxy-IPG. Various reagents which generate oxygen radicals were effective in the hydroxylation of guanosine derivatives at the C-8 position. These reagents also cause hydroxylation of guanine residues in DNA.