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Microbiology - Ames Mutagenicity TestThe Ames Mutagenicity test provides a reasonable indicator for the presence of mutagenic (possible cancer causing) chemicals in a test sample. The test is performed by using specially altered Salmonella typhimurium bacteria. These bacteria are altered in such a way that they are unable to produce histidine, an essential amino acid necessary for their survival. To keep the bacteria alive, histidine is added to their food supply in very small amounts. This allows the bacteria a very limited food supply, and therefore very limited growth. In the presence of a mutagenic chemical, the bacteria will revert back to a form that allows them to manufacture their own histidine, and therefore grow normally For the actual test, the bacteria are incubated on nutrient plates, both with and without the suspected mutagen. If after incubation of about two days, the plates with and without the mutagen grow approximately the same number of bacteria colonies, the test is negative. If, however, the plate with the mutagen grows far more bacteria than the plate without, the test is considered positive. Biolog Bacteria Identification |