Inhibition of recombination and heterozygosis in phenyl ethyl alcohol treated phage T4-E.coli B complexes

Genetic Recombination of Transforming Deoxyribonucleic Acid Molecules with the Recipient Genome and Among Themselves in Protoplasts of Bacillus subtilis

Hirokawa, Hideo (Southwest Center for Advanced Studies, Dallas, Tex.), and Yonosuke Ikeda. Genetic recombination of transforming deoxyribonucleic acid molecules with the recipient genome and among themselves in protoplasts of Bacillus subtilis. J. Bacteriol. 92:455-463. 1966.-Re-extraction of transforming deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from protoplasts of Bacillus subtilis is much more efficient than from intact competent cells. This facilitated the detection of physical recombination between donor and recipient DNA molecules, as indicated by a high cotransfer index of ind(+) and his(+) markers which were originally located in exogenous and endogenous DNA molecules, respectively. This recombinant DNA was extracted after 30 min of incubation of ind his(+) protoplasts with ind(+)his DNA, previously extracted from a corresponding mutant strain of B. subtilis. The intracellular formation of recombinant molecules (ind(+)his(+)) bearing markers from two different exogenous DNA species was also detected 15 min after exposure of ind his recipient protoplasts to a mixture of ind(+)his and ind his(+) donor DNA molecules. The unity of the recombinant molecule was ascertained by dilution experiments and by its being resistant to ribonuclease and trypsin treatment (but being sensitive to deoxyribonuclease). The formation of recombinant molecules showed an inverse kinetics to that of the intracellularly induced loss of linkage between the corresponding markers in the wild-type DNA, thus suggesting a breakage and reunion process which is also favored by the absence of DNA synthesis in the protoplasts and the effect of some specific inhibitors.

Inhibition of Growth, Synthesis, and Permeability in Neurospora crassa by Phenethyl Alcohol

Lester, Gabriel (Reed College, Portland, Ore.). Inhibition of growth, synthesis, and permeability in Neurospora crassa by phenethyl alcohol. J. Bacteriol. 90: 29-37. 1965.-Inhibition of the growth of Neurospora crassa in still culture was detected at 0.05% and was complete at a level of 0.2% phenethyl alcohol (PEA). Benzyl alcohol was less inhibitory, and 3-phenyl-1-propanol and phenol were more inhibitory, than PEA; benzylamine and phenethylamine were less inhibitory than the analogous hydroxylated compounds. Inhibition by PEA was not reversed by synthetic mixtures of purines and pyrimidines or vitamins, or by casein digests, yeast extract, or nutrient broth. The germination of conidia was inhibited by PEA, but after an exposure of 8.5 hr no loss of viability was observed. The addition of PEA to growing shake cultures caused a simultaneous inhibition of growth and of the syntheses of ribonucleic and deoxyribonucleic acids and protein; the relationships of these compounds to mycelial dry weight and to one another were constant in growing mycelia, and PEA did not significantly affect these relationships. PEA partially inhibited the uptake of glucose, but severely restricted the accumulation of l-leucine, l-tryptophan, or alpha-aminoisobutyric acid in germinated conidia. The efflux of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid from germinated conidia was somewhat enhanced by PEA, but this effect was not so pronounced as the (complete) inhibition of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid accumulation by PEA. It is suggested that PEA affects primarily the initial influx of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid rather than the subsequent retention of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid.

Mechanism of action of phenethyl alcohol: breakdown of the cellular permeability barrier

Phenethyl alcohol (PEA) caused Escherichia coli to take up greatly increased amounts of acriflavine, a compound to which healthy growing cells are impermeable. PEA also caused an increased rate of efflux (leakage) of cellular potassium under conditions which do not greatly alter the influx of potassium via the energy-dependent potassium pump. We therefore propose that the primary effect of PEA is a limited breakdown of the cell membrane. The inhibition of deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis and other cellular functions would then be secondary consequences of the alteration in the membrane structure.

Phenethyl Alcohol I. Effect on Macromolecular Synthesis of Escherichia coli

Rosenkranz, Herbert S. (Columbia University, New York, N.Y.), Howard S. Carr, and Harry M. Rose . Phenethyl alcohol. I. Effect on macromolecular synthesis of Escherichia coli . J. Bacteriol. 89: 1354–1369. 1965.—An investigation of the mode of action of phenethyl alcohol produced the following results. Phenethyl alcohol had no effect on the physicochemical properties of isolated deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). The DNA isolated from phenethyl alcohol-treated bacteria had physicochemical properties identical with those of DNA isolated from normal cells. The metabolic functions most sensitive to the inhibitory action of phenethyl alcohol appeared to be the process of enzyme induction and, possibly, the synthesis of messenger ribonucleic acid. Phenethyl alcohol did not affect the polyuridylic acid-mediated synthesis of polyphenylalanine in a cell-free amino acid-incorporating system.