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Mutagen - Chemical Mutagens, Light And Radiation, Repairing The Damage

test carcinogens

A mutagen is any substance or agent that can cause a mutation, or change in the sequence or structure of DNA. Mutagens are classified on the basis of their physical nature and the types of damage they do. A mutagen is not the same as a carcinogen. Carcinogens are agents that cause cancer. While many mutagens are carcinogens as well, many others are not. The Ames test is a widely used test to screen chemicals used in foods or medications for mutagenic potential.

Additional Topics

Mutagen - Chemical Mutagens

There are many hundreds of known chemical mutagens. Some resemble the bases found in normal DNA; others alter the structures of existing bases; others insert themselves in the helix between bases; while others work indirectly, creating reactive compounds that directly damage the DNA structure. "Base analogs" are molecules whose chemical structure is similar to one of the four DNA bas…

Mutagen - Light And Radiation

Radiation refers to two different phenomena: light and high-energy particles. Visible light represents a small slice of the electromagnetic spectrum, which includes long-wavelength (low-energy) radio waves and short-wave-length (high-energy) ultraviolet waves, plus X rays and gamma rays. These high-energy forms can directly disrupt DNA by breaking its chemical bonds. In severe cases, this can brea…

Mutagen - Repairing The Damage

Mutagenesis - Noninduced Mutagenic Agents, Creating Mutations, The First Mutagenesis Assay, Detecting Mutations [next] [back] Muscular Dystrophy - Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Myotonic Muscular Dystrophy, Limb-girdle Muscular Dystrophy, Treatment Of The Muscular Dystrophies

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