A. Demain
Oct 1, 1966
Citations
0
Influential Citations
7
Citations
Journal
Nature
Abstract
THE activities of hadacidin (N-formyl hydroxyamino-acetic acid) against the growth of human tumours1, plants2,3, cell cultures4 and as an inhibitor of chloroplast development in Euglena5 have been previously described. Isotopic experiments with Ehrlich ascites tumour cells, with cell-free tumour extracts and with intact rats led to the conclusion that the conversion of inosinic acid to adenylosuccinic acid was inhibited in these systems6. The enzyme catalysing this reaction, adenylosuccinate synthetase (inosine 5′ -phosphate: L-aspartate ligase, EC6.3.4.4), was prepared from Escherichia coli and was found to be markedly inhibited by hadacidin7. Inhibition of the enzyme was reversed by L-aspartate.