The effects of captan and captafol on different bacterial strains and on c-mitosis in V79 chinese hamster fibroblasts

The mutagenic activity of captan and captafol was tested using Ames stzaiiis and strains showing an SOS response. Captafol was mutagenic in S. typhimurium strain TA102 (uvr+) and captan in strain TA104 (uvrB). Both captan and captafol elicit damages in DNA recognized by correndonuclease U, as shown by the repair teat, and induced the SOS repair system in E. coli PQ37 (uvrA) strain. Only captafol induced the SOS system in PQ35 (uvr+). The lack of induction of p-galactesidaac at nonpermissive temperature in E. coli MD332 (dnaCs uvrA) strain showed that neither chemical was able to produce DNA breaks. In V79 Chinese hamster fibroblasts higher induction of c-mitosis by captafol than by captan (22% and 15% over th* control, respectively) was accompanied by a higher decrease in nonprotein sulfhydryl groups, mainly GSH (41% and 77%, respectively). The content of protein sulfhydryl groups was decreased by either fungicide to a similar extent.