An ovulation inducing agent containing clomiphene citrate causes DNA-strand breaks without SOS responses in Escherichia coli.

Effects of Clomid, an ovulation-inducing drug containing clomiphene citrate, on Escherichia coli were investigated. Radiation-sensitive mutants, uvrA and recA, were more sensitive to Clomid than the parental wild-type strain. DNA synthesis in these two strains was more depressed by Clomid than that in the wild-type strain. Clomid caused DNA-strand breaks, but few SOS responses such as mutation, induction of prophage and expression of the umuC+ gene were induced.