The role of human cytochrome P450 (CYP) in the metabolic activation of N-alkylnitrosamines was examined by Ames test using genetically engineered Salmonella typhimurium (S. typhimurium)YG7108 cells expressing each form of human CYP together with human NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase (OR). The relationship between the structure of N-alkylnitrosamines and CYP form(s) involved in the activation was evaluated. Eleven strains of S. typhimurium YG7108 cells expressing each form of CYP (CYP1A1, CYP1A2, CYP1B1, CYP2A6, CYP2C8, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, CYP2E1, CYP3A4 or CYP3A5) were employed. Eight N-alkylnitrosamines including N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA), N-nitrosodipropylamine (NDPA), N-nitrosodibutylamine (NDBA), N-nitrosomethylethylamine (NMEA), N-nitrosomethylpropylamine (NMPA), N-nitrosomethylbutylamine (NMBA) and N-nitrosoethylbutylamine (NEBA) were examined. Minimal concentration (MC) value of a promutagen was defined as the concentration of a chemical giving a positive result. Mutagen-producing capacity of CYP, as indicated by induced revertants/nmol promutagen/pmol CYP, for an N-alkylnitrosamine was determined for all forms of CYP. These N-alkylnitrosamines were mainly activated by CYP2E1, CYP2A6 and CYP1A1. N-alkylnitrosamines with relatively short alkyl chains such as NDMA and NMEA were primarily activated by CYP2E1 as judged by mutagen-producing capacity. With the increase of the number of the carbon atoms of the alkyl chains, the contribution of CYP2A6 increased. CYP2A6 played major roles in the activation of NDEA, NDPA, NMPA, NMBA and NEBA. Interestingly, CYP1A1 became a molecular form of CYP playing a major role in the metabolic activation of NDBA.