Inhibition of Protein Synthesis by Spermine in Growing Cells of Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract

Friedman, Mischa E. (Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel), and Uriel Bachrach . Inhibition of protein synthesis by spermine in growing cells of Staphylococcus aureus . J. Bacteriol. 92: 49–55. 1966.— Staphylococcus aureus SFL 9725 incorporated valine- C 14 into cellular protein. This incorporation was inhibited by spermine when the p H of the culture was adjusted to 7.8, and the inhibition was antagonized partially by Mg ++ . The incorporation of C 14 -labeled leucine, phenylalanine, lysine, arginine, and possibly glutamic acid was inhibited to a much greater extent than that of alanine, glycine, or threonine. The uptake of spermine- C 14 by S. aureus cells was rapid. More than 50% of the radioactivity resided in the soluble extract. The protein fraction of the soluble extract contained 99% of the recovered label, whereas the ribonucleic acid and deoxyribonucleic acid fractions contained little or no spermine- C 14 .