INFLUENCE OF SOME STRUCTURAL-PROPERTIES I N MOLECULES OF DERIVATIVES OF PYRENE AND HETEROCYCLIC-ANALOGS OF PYRENE ON THEIR MUTAGENICITY

The mutagenic potency of five acetyl and acetylamine derivatives of ni tropyrene and 15 heterocyclic analogues of pyrene was studied in the s train Salmonella typhimurium TA1538. A significant impact of the elect ron-with-drawing acetyl group in the para-position on the mutagenic ac tivity of derivatives of nitropyrene was shown. The para position of n itro and amino groups as well as of the amino and carboxyl group was a lso responsible for the mutagenic activity. A proposal for the existen ce of several cellular mechanisms of activation of molecules of hetero cyclic analogues of pyrene is presented.