The following sections of this BookRags Literature Study Guide is offprint from Gale's For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare & Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources.
(c)1998-2002; (c)2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction: "Social Concerns", "Thematic Overview", "Techniques", "Literary Precedents", "Key Questions", "Related Titles", "Adaptations", "Related Web Sites". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults: "About the Author", "Overview", "Setting", "Literary Qualities", "Social Sensitivity", "Topics for Discussion", "Ideas for Reports and Papers". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
All other sections in this Literature Study Guide are owned and copyrighted by BookRags, Inc.
A laboratory test developed by biochemist Bruce N. Ames to determine the possible carcinogenic nature of a substance. The Ames test involves using a particular strain of the bacteria Salmonella typhimurium that lacks the ability to synthesize histidine and is therefore very sensitive to mutation. The bacteria are inoculated into a medium deficient in histidine but containing the test compound. If the compound results in DNA damage with subsequent mutations, some of the bacteria will regain the ability to synthesize histidine and will proliferate to form colonies. The culture is evaluated on the basis of the number of mutated bacterial colonies it produced. The ability to replicate mutated colonies leads to the classification of a substance as probably carcinogenic.
The Ames test is a test for mutagenicity not carcinogenicity. However, approximately nine out of 10 mutagens are indeed carcinogenic. Therefore, a substance that can be shown to be mutagenic by being subjected to the Ames test can be reliably classified as a suspected carcinogen and thus recommended for further study.
Taber, C. W. Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary. Philadelphia: F. A. Davis, 1990.
Turk J., and A. Turk. Environmental Science. Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders, 1988.