CHEMICAL MUTAGENESIS TESTING IN DROSOPHILA .10. RESULTS OF 70 CODED CHEMICALS TESTED FOR THE NATIONAL-TOXICOLOGY-PROGRAM

Seventy chemicals were tested for the ability to induce sex-linked rec essive lethal (SLRL) mutations in postmeiotic and meiotic germ cells o f male Drosophila melanogaster. As in the previous studies in this ser ies, adult feeding was chosen as the first route of administration. If the compound failed to induce mutations by this route, injection expo sure was used. Two chemicals, n-butane and propylene, were gaseous and therefore tested only by inhalation. One chemical (dimethylcarbamoyl chloride) was tested only by injection. Those chemicals that were muta genic in the SLRL assay were further tested for the ability to induce reciprocal translocations. Sixteen of the 70 chemicals tested were mut agenic in the SLRL assay: 3-chloro-2-methylpropene, 3-(chloromethyl)py ridine HCl, dimethylcarbamoyl chloride, HC blue 1,3-iodo-1,2-propanedi ol, malaoxon, N,N'-methylene-bisacrylamide, 4,4'-methylenedianiline 2H Cl, ziram, cis-dichlorodiaminoplatinum II, 1,2-dibromoethane, dibromom annitol, 1,2-epoxypropane, glycidol, myleran, and toluene diisocyanate . The last seven also induced reciprocal translocations. A comparison of the results from the SLRL assay with other assays for mutagens and carcinogens suggests that the SLRL assay is highly specific, but poorl y sensitive, both for mutagens and potential carcinogens. (C) 1994 Wil ey-Liss, Inc.