The effect of cycloheximide and cycloheximide analogues on protein, asparagine, and glutamine synthesis in corn root tips

Abstract

Cycloheximide treatment (3.6 × 10−6 M) inhibits the incorporation of [2-14C]acetate into protein, asparagine, and the organic acids and sugars fraction. At the same time, it enhances the release of 14CO2 and the incorporation of carbon into glutamine and the neutral and basic amino acid fraction. Eight structural analogues of cycloheximide were tested for their effects on protein, asparagine, and glutamine formation in corn root tips. Two analogues, cycloheximide acetate and streptovitacin A (at a concentration of 1.8 × 10−5 M), acted in a manner similar to cycloheximide. Their effect was to inhibit protein and asparagine synthesis and to enhance glutamine formation. Six other analogues (1.8 × 10−5 M) had no marked effect on these fractions. The results of this investigation indicate that the structural analogues which inhibit asparagine formation in corn root tips also inhibit protein synthesis. The results suggest that the hydroxyl group of the hydroxyethylglutarimide portion of the cycloheximide molecule and the ketone-carbonyl group of the cyclohexanone ring are important for their action on protein synthesis in corn root tips.