Open AccessInteraction Between Deoxyribonucleic Acid and Distamycin A Studied by Transformation in Bacillus subtilis
Author(s) -
G. Mazza,
Alessandro Galizzi,
A. Minghetti,
Antonio G. Siccardi
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.07
H-Index - 259
eISSN - 1070-6283
pISSN - 0066-4804
DOI - 10.1128/aac.3.3.384
Subject(s) - dna , bacillus subtilis , transformation (genetics) , deoxyribonuclease , dna synthesis , biochemistry , exogenous dna , biology , transfection , deoxyribonuclease i , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , bacteria , genetics , gene , base sequence
Distamycin A inhibits deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-mediated transformation and transfection inBacillus subtilis at doses with little or no antibacterial effect. The inhibition of transformation parallels the inhibition of DNA uptake; further-more, during the transformation process, donor DNA molecules become distamycin and deoxyribonuclease resistant at the same time. This demonstrates that the drug acts by inhibiting DNA uptake. Although the drug is known to bind DNA, the inhibition is not related to affinity of the drug for DNA. This is shown by the lack of dependence of the extent of inhibition on DNA concentration, whereas the degree of inhibition depends upon cell concentration. Supporting this view is the fact that transformation by single-stranded DNA was also inhibited, even though the drug does not bind to denatured DNA. Distamycin A probably interferes with transformation by competing with DNA for some unknown bacterial component involved in transport of DNA into the cell.