Owais W M, Kleinhofs A, Nilan R A
Mutat Res. 1981 Jan;80(1):99-104. doi: 10.1016/0027-5107(81)90180-9.
The ability of L-cysteine to inhibit azide-metabolite synthesis and mutagenicity is investigated in Salmonella typhimurium TA1530 and cys E6 strains. L-cysteine specifically inhibits the synthesis of the mutagenic azide metabolite as other compounds containing SH group did not affect the production of this metabolite. Azide mutagenicity is completely inhibited by L-cysteine at a concentration (5 mumoles/plate) where the metabolite mutagenicity was not affected. O-Acetyl-L-serine can reverse the L-cysteine mediated inhibition of the metabolite synthesis and thus mutagenicity in the same strains. These results suggest that O-acetyl-L-serine may be required to synthesize the azide metabolite or its precursor.
