Mitochondrial toxicity in saccharomyces as a measure of carcinogenicity

4-Biphenylmethanol (4HMB) and 4-chloromethylbiphenyl (4CMB) selectively inhibited mitochondrial protein synthesis and induced the mitochondrial mutation petite in yeast cells. 4HMB was more potent than 4CMB in antimitochondrial activity. Benzyl chloride (BC) affected mitochondria only marginally but was more generally toxic than the biphenyls. Results indicated that 4HMB and 4CMB had carcinogenic potential but this was unlikely in the case of BC.