Genotoxicity

From CreationWiki, the encyclopedia of creation science

Genotoxicity is the result of a chemical or other agent specifically causing damage to cellular DNA. It tends to bind with or is responsible for the damage to enzymes responsible for replicating DNA, thus mutation ensues and at times can lead to cancerous cells or birth defects.

1 Genotoxins
2 References
3 External Links
4 See Also

Genotoxins

Some common types of genotoxins are common radiation, aromatic amines. Aromatic amines are thought to cause mutation by being accepting of electrons or being electrophilic. This affect is at the atomic level because of electron attraction, essentially forming a covalent bond with DNA which then prevents accurate replication.

Other types of genotoxins that have been used in scientific expirementation include N-acetoxy-acetylaminofluorene (N-AcO-AAF), aminofluorene (AF), aflatoxin which can be found in stored peanuts and dimethylsulfate (DMS), a very toxic, volatile liquid and vapor. ^[1]