Biomaterial Database

Powerful mutagenicity of a bipyridylium herbicide in a nitrogen-fixing blue-green alga Nostoc muscorum. 1984

A Vaishampayan

The herbicide, paraquat (1,1'-dimethyl-4,4'-bipyridylium ion), was found to be toxic and lytic to Nostoc muscorum in N2 (at the expense of elemental nitrogen, i.e. unsupplemented with any combined nitrogen source) and NO-3 media, without any apparent inhibitory or stimulatory effect on its nitrogen-fixing apparatus, i.e. heterocyst formation. At a dose of paraquat resulting in 20, 50 and 75% survival, induction of reverse mutations (from het- nif- auxotrophy to het+ nif+ prototrophy), forward mutations (for streptomycin [St]-resistance), and auxotrophic mutations (carbon-auxotrophy through methylamine [MA]-resistance) were observed with frequencies comparable to those obtained through induction with the well known mutagen MNNG (N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine).

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008769	Methylnitronitrosoguanidine	A nitrosoguanidine derivative with potent mutagenic and carcinogenic properties.	Methylnitrosonitroguanidine,Nitrosomethylnitroguanidine,Nitrosonitromethylguanidine,MNNG,N-Methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine,N Methyl N' nitro N nitrosoguanidine
D009154	Mutation	Any detectable and heritable change in the genetic material that causes a change in the GENOTYPE and which is transmitted to daughter cells and to succeeding generations.	Mutations
D010269	Paraquat	A poisonous dipyridilium compound used as contact herbicide. Contact with concentrated solutions causes irritation of the skin, cracking and shedding of the nails, and delayed healing of cuts and wounds.	Methyl Viologen,Gramoxone,Paragreen A,Viologen, Methyl
D000458	Cyanobacteria	A phylum of oxygenic photosynthetic bacteria comprised of unicellular to multicellular bacteria possessing CHLOROPHYLL a and carrying out oxygenic PHOTOSYNTHESIS. Cyanobacteria are the only known organisms capable of fixing both CARBON DIOXIDE (in the presence of light) and NITROGEN. Cell morphology can include nitrogen-fixing heterocysts and/or resting cells called akinetes. Formerly called blue-green algae, cyanobacteria were traditionally treated as ALGAE.	Algae, Blue-Green,Blue-Green Bacteria,Cyanophyceae,Algae, Blue Green,Bacteria, Blue Green,Bacteria, Blue-Green,Blue Green Algae,Blue Green Bacteria,Blue-Green Algae
D000477	Alkylating Agents	Highly reactive chemicals that introduce alkyl radicals into biologically active molecules and thereby prevent their proper functioning. Many are used as antineoplastic agents, but most are very toxic, with carcinogenic, mutagenic, teratogenic, and immunosuppressant actions. They have also been used as components in poison gases.	Alkylating Agent,Alkylator,Alkylators,Agent, Alkylating,Agents, Alkylating