2 Isolation and Structures of Mutagenic Principles in Amino Acid Pyrolysates

Abstract

A series of amino acids was pyrolyzed and was tested their mutagenicity. Basic fractions from pyrolysates of tryptophan, glutamic acid, ornitine, and serine showed potent mutagenicities to Salmonella typhymurium TA 98. The active principles from tryptophan pyrolysate were identified as 3-amino-1,4-dimethyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-1) and 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido-[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-2). The active principles from glutamic acid were also identified as 2-amino-6-methyldipyrido[1,2-a:3',2'-d]imidazole (Glu-P-1) and 2-amino-dipyrido[1,2-a:3',2'-d]imidazole (Glu-P-2).