Reaction of DNA with a mutagenic 3-N,N-acetoxyacetylamino-4,6-dimethyldipyrido[1,2-a:3',2'- d]imidazole (N-AcO-AGlu-P-3) related to glutamic acid pyrolysates.

3-Amino-4,6-dimethyldipyrido[1,2-a:3',2'-d]imidazole (Glu-P-3), an analog amine of the potent genotoxic Glu-P-1 isolated from a glutamic acid pyrolysate, has been chemically synthesized. Glu-P-3 was found much more mutagenic than Glu-P-1 to S. typhimurium TA 98 and TA 100 with S-9 mix. 3-N,N-acetoxyacetylamino-4,6-dimethyldipyrido[1,2-a:3',2'-d] imidazole (N-AcO-AGlu-P-3), a possible metabolite of Glu-P-3, binds covalently to the C-8 position of guanine residues in DNA. The binding induces large conformational changes of the macromolecule.