Human fibroblasts were subjected to nutritionally induced G1 block, followed by release and subsequent entry into S phase, and exposed to nontoxic concentrations of carcinogens in early S phase. Cell transformation occurred as determined by early morphologic cell alterations, anchorage-independent colony formation, cell invasiveness, and augmentation of Ab 376 human malignancy-specific cell-surface antigenic determinant. Methylazoxymethanol acetate was the most potent transforming agent at doses that were negative in toxicity tests. Benzamide (10 microM intracellular concentration), a specific inhibitor of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, prevented transformation in a cell cycle-specific manner, maximal prevention coinciding with early S phase, also characteristic of maximal susceptibility to transformation. Neither an interference of carcinogen deoxyguanosine nucleoside adduct formation nor a chemical reaction between benzamide and carcinogens was detected. Methylazoxymethanol acetate at transforming but nontoxic dose partially inhibited poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation to about the same extent as benzamide. However, simultaneous exposure of cells to both agents in early S phase, resulting in the prevention of transformation, augmented poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation above the controls. Enzymatic activities ran parallel with the formation of DNA-associating polymer-nonhistone protein adducts that are assumed to regulate the physiological function of chromatin at the structural level.