Ames Tests

Key Features of Our Ames Tests

  • Reproducible and Consistent data

  • Rapid turnaround time (10 business days)

  • Best prices guarantee

The Ames test is designed to evaluate the potential of a test compound to induce reverse mutations in bacteria and is often used as one of the initial screens for potential drugs to weed out possible carcinogens. The Ames test is required for FDA IND submission. The tester Salmonella typhimurium strains e.g.TA100 and TA98 have point mutations while TA-1537 has frameshift in the genes required to synthesize histidine that make them incapable of growing in the absence of histidine. Treatment with a genotoxic chemical causes mutagenesis including base substitutions or frameshift within the His gene may cause a reversion to histidine prototrophy, and the mutated organisms are able to grow in histidine absent medium. 

Ames Tests Procedure

Image representative of miniAmes test (yellow indicates the positive and blue negative)

Image representative of miniAmes test (yellow indicates the positive and blue negative)

  • The Ames MPF test (mini Ames) use two strains TA98 and TA100, and the Ames OECD 471 test use 5 strains including TA98, TA100, YA1535, TA1537 and WP2 uvrA. 

  • Each strain is incubated with several dose levels of test compounds for two days in the presence and absence of S9 metabolic activation system.

  • If the chemical can induce mutagenesis then the mutated organisms are able to grow in histidine-deficient medium, and the indicator color will turn to yellow, while the negative show a blue color. A positive outcome is characterized by a dose-dependent increase in revertant frequency that exceeds strain-specific limits.