González-Fernández A, López-Sáez J F
Mutat Res. 1982 Dec;106(2):255-64. doi: 10.1016/0027-5107(82)90107-5.
Chromosome damage induced in root meristems of Allium cepa L. by an 18-h treatment with 5-aminouracil (AU) was enhanced by 2-h pulses with 5 mM caffeine, the most effective pulse being given from the 8th to the 10th h after AU. Chromosome damage was detected by the percentage of anaphases or telophases showing chromosomal aberrations. This caffeine effect was partially reversed by adenosine. We suggest that this caffeine anti-repair effect could be due to a competition between methylxanthine and an adenine-nucleotide derivative (ATP?) required for some step(s) of G2-prophase repair.
