ROLE OF ONE-CARBON PRECURSORS IN THE BIOSYNTHESIS OF DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID IN BACTERIOPHAGE-INFECTED AND GROWING CELLS OF ESCHERICHIA COLI

Abstract

Nester, Eugene W. (Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio) and John Spizizen . Role of one-carbon precursors in the biosynthesis of deoxyribonucleic acid in bacteriophage-infected and growing cells of Escherichia coli . J. Bacteriol. 82: 867–874. 1961.—The ability of growing and T2 bacteriophage-infected cells of Escherichia coli to incorporate serine-3-C 14 , glycine-2-C 14 , formate-C 14 , and formaldehyde-C 14 into purine and pyrimidine moieties of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was determined. All four one-carbon precursors are effective contributors to the DNA-purines, but only glycine-2-C 14 and serine-3-C 14 are incorporated into the side chains of the pyrimidines. In addition, formate-C 14 becomes incorporated only into position 8 of the purine ring, whereas isotope from serine-3-C 14 and glycine-2-C 14 is incorporated equally into the 2 and 8 positions. No qualitative differences were observed in the patterns of incorporation of any one-carbon units in growing or bacteriophage-infected cells. However, the 3-carbon of serine serves as a more effective precursor of the 2 and 8 positions of the DNA purine ring when the cells are infected. Formate-C 14 and to a slight extent glycine-2-C 14 are somewhat better precursors of these positions when the cells are infected under appropriate conditions.