The genetic activity of dinitropyrenes in yeast: unusual dose response curves for induced mitotic gene conversion.

1,6-Dinitropyrene (1,6DNP) and 1,8-dinitropyrene (1,8DNP) were tested for their ability to induce mitotic gene conversion at the trp 5 and his 4 loci in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae JD1. Both compounds were shown to be potent inducers of gene conversion in yeast, with 1,6DNP being somewhat more active than 1,8DNP. Unusual dose-response curves were obtained in that toxicity and genetic activity decreased at the higher concentrations examined. This reduction in genetic activity may reflect a decrease in the ability of yeast cells to convert the dinitropyrenes to their mutagenic forms when the concentration of the compounds exceeds a certain level.