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J Bacteriol. 1972 August; 111(2): 586-592
Copyright © 1972 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Mode of Action of Phleomycin on Bacillus subtilis

Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois at the Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60680

ABSTRACT

Phleomycin appears to act on the cell wall and membrane to induce the release of membrane-associated deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and the degradation of the DNA. Degradation occurs in a series of energy-requiring endonuclease and exonuclease reactions. These produce, first, single-strand breaks, then double-strand breaks, and finally almost complete solubilization of the cellular DNA. The in vivo inhibition of DNA synthesis by phleomycin is probably a secondary effect caused by the destruction of template DNA.