The mutagenic activity of more than 120 antimicrobial agents and protective components was investigated. Only Kathon showed a consistent increase in revertant counts in the Ames test on Salmonella typhimurium. The hereditary bleaching test on Euglena gracilis used for detecting extranuclear mutations, showed positive results for Kathon, triethanolamine and diamine silver tetraborate.

• MeSH
• Biological Assay methods   MeSH
• Borates adverse effects   pharmacology   MeSH
• Ethanolamines adverse effects   pharmacology   MeSH
• Euglena gracilis drug effects   genetics   MeSH
• Cosmetics adverse effects   pharmacology   MeSH
• Mutagenesis MeSH
• Salmonella typhimurium drug effects   MeSH
• Mutagenicity Tests methods   MeSH
• Thiazoles adverse effects   pharmacology   MeSH
• Hair Preparations adverse effects   pharmacology   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czechoslovakia MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Borates MeSH
• Ethanolamines MeSH
• Kathon 886 MeSH Browser
• Cosmetics MeSH
• tetraborate MeSH Browser
• Thiazoles MeSH
• triethanolamine MeSH Browser
• Hair Preparations MeSH

Quinolones and coumarins were potent eliminators of chloroplasts from Euglena gracilis. There was a remarkable similarity between antichloroplastic and antibacterial activities of DNA gyrase inhibitors. Quinolones produced 100% chloroplast-free cells in concentrations which do not affect cell viability. Optimal conditions were exponential growth, continuous illumination, and neutral or slightly alkaline pH. Coumarins were more toxic than quinolones. Among the quinolones, ofloxacin was the most potent in eliminating chloroplasts. Among the coumarins, coumermycin A1 was the most potent. New quinolones and coumermycin A1 were able to induce the complete inability of originally green cells to form green colonies after 24 h of drug exposure, while clorobiocin and novobiocin required several days of exposure. Darkness, heat shock (42 degrees C, 10 min), or simultaneous treatment with chloramphenicol or rifampin decreased the potency of DNA gyrase inhibitors for producing chloroplast-free cells. Remarkably, in cells in which division was blocked by three different methods (resting medium, hyperthermic conditions [37 degrees C], or addition of cycloheximide), new quinolones and coumermycin A1 nevertheless eliminated chloroplasts. The antichloroplastic activity of DNA gyrase inhibitors is additional data suggesting an evolutionary relationship between chloroplasts and eubacteria.

• MeSH
• 4-Quinolones MeSH
• Anti-Infective Agents pharmacology   MeSH
• Chloramphenicol pharmacology   MeSH
• Chloroplasts drug effects   MeSH
• Microscopy, Electron MeSH
• Euglena gracilis drug effects   ultrastructure   MeSH
• Topoisomerase II Inhibitors MeSH
• Hydrogen-Ion Concentration MeSH
• Coumarins pharmacology   MeSH
• Rifampin pharmacology   MeSH
• Temperature MeSH
• Darkness MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• 4-Quinolones MeSH
• Anti-Infective Agents MeSH
• Chloramphenicol MeSH
• Topoisomerase II Inhibitors MeSH
• Coumarins MeSH
• Rifampin MeSH