AMes test

[William B. Melchior, Jr.]

In article <noesis.7.0156607F at cam.org>, noesis at cam.org (Noesis Vision Inc) asks:
>
>Does anyone know what the Ames test is used for?  This is a test used in the 
>analysis of Petri dishes but I need to know if this test is used widely by 
>researchers looking at Petri dishes.

Is this different from the Ames Assay for genotoxic compounds?  The latter measures
mutation rate in Salmonella typhimurium after treatment with the compound of interest.
It is performed in dishes.