C. Hurwitz, C. Rosano, R. A. Peabody
1963
Citations
0
Influential Citations
5
Citations
Journal
Biochimica et biophysica acta
Abstract
Abstract Inorganic phosphate prevents the lethal action of streptomycin and promotes excretion of nucleotides by exponentially growing bacteria exposed to the antibiotic. The latter effect is more pronounced with some strains than with others. The lesser ability to excrete nucleotides of so-called “non-leaky” strains apparently results from their ability to retain intracellular nucleotide pools against permeability loss. This ability to retain the intracellular nucleotide pool does not alter the effect of inorganic phosphate on the sensitivity of the cells to the lethal action of streptomycin. The ability to retain the intracellular pool is not impaired by death of the cells. Tracer experiments indicate that nucleotides excreted early originatee mostly from de novo synthesis, while later excretion originates largely from RNA degradation.