The Ames test is an assay to determine if a chemical can mutagenized bacteria. An auxotrophic bacteria strain of Salmonella, with a known mutation in a gene for histidine biosynthesis, is spread onto an agar plate without histidine. Colonies only appear where the original mutation has been reverted. If the addition of a chemical to the plat causes the appearance of more colonies, then that chemical is a mutagen.
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