This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Farmer, J. L. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Farmer, J. L.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

J Bacteriol. 1968 April; 95(4): 1450-1460
Copyright © 1968 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Deoxyribonucleic Acid Degradation in Bacillus subtilis During Exposure to Actinomycin D¹

^a Division of Biological and Medical Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, and Department of Biophysics, University of Colorado Medical Center, Denver, Colorado 80220²

ABSTRACT

At high concentrations (10 µg/ml), actinomycin D inhibited deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis in Bacillus subtilis. Inhibition occurred quickly (in less than 1 min) and was complete. In strain 23 thy his, inhibition of DNA synthesis by actinomycin D was followed by partial degradation of one of the two daughter strands to acid-soluble products. Degradation began at the replication point and proceeded over a distance equal to about 12% of a chromosome in length. Actinomycin D played some essential part in degradation, since exposure of the cells to other treatments or agents which inhibit growth did not lead to the above result.

² Present address.

¹ From the Eleanor Roosevelt Institute for Cancer Research and the Department of Biophysics (Contribution No. 316), University of Colorado Medical Center, Denver.