Abstract
The effects of metal compounds on nuclear mitotic cross-over, mitotic gene conversion and reversion were studied in a diploid yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain D7. All metal compounds used in these experiments had cell killing effects at concentrations of 10-2 to 10-4M. These metal compounds were classified into two groups according to their effects on strain D7. Chromium, arsenic, cadmium, cobalt and nickel compounds induced mitotic cross-over and gene conversion. Lead, mercury and zinc compounds induced mitotic gene conversion at only limited frequencies but the frequency of mitotic cross-over among the convertants was significantly higher than in the control. No increase in reversion frequencies was observed with these compounds.
