Growth Inhibition of a Biotinless Mutant of Escherichia coli by Purines and Pyrimidines. ∗

Abstract

Summary

The growth of biotinless mutant, Escherichia coli 58, in a medium containing aspartic acid to replace partially the biotin requirment, was inhibited by adenine, adenosine-3′-or 5′-Phosphate, ATP, uracil, cytosine, hypoxanthine, and, to a lesser extent, by thymine and xanthine. Adenosine-2′-Phosphate was not inhibitory. None of these compounds was inhibitory when biotin was added to the growth medium of strain 58, nor were they inhibitory to the parent Strain E. coli K 12 which does not require biotin. When succinate or α-ketoglutarate, instead of aspartate, were added to the basal medium, adenine and its derivatives were less inhibitory and the other purines and pyrimindines did not significant inhibit the growth of the biotinless mutant.