Summary
The labelling of nucleic acids of growing cells of the blue-green algae Anacystis nidulans and Synechocystis aquatilis by radioactive precursors has been studies. A. nidulans cells most actively incorporate radioactivity from [2-14C]uracil into both RNA and DNA, while S. aquatilis cells incorporate most effectively [2-14C]uracil and [2-14C]thymine.
Deoxyadenosine does not affect incorporation of label from [2-14C]thymidine into DNA, but weakly inhibits [2-14C]thymine incorporation into both nucleic acids and significantly suppresses the incorporation of [2-14C]uracil.
The radioactivity from [2-14C]uracil and [2-14C]thymine is found in RNA uracil and cytosine and DNA thymine and cytosine. The radioactivity of [2-14C]thymidine is incorporated into DNA thymine and cytosine. These results and data of comparative studies of nucleic acid labelling by [2-14C]thymine and [5-methyl-14C]thymine suggest that the incorporation of thymine and thymidine into nucleic acids of A. nidulans and S. aquatilis is accompanied by demethylation of these precursors. In this respect blue-green algae resemble fungi and certain green algae.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Budman, D. R., Pardee, A. B.: Thymidine and thymine incorporation into deoxyribonucleic acid: inhibition and repression by uridine of thymidine phosphorylase of Escherichia coli. J. Bact. 94, 1546–1550 (1967).
Chou, T. V., Salunkhe, D. K., Singh, B.: Effect of gamma radiation on Penicilium expansum L. III. On nucleic acid metabolism. Rad. Bot. 11, 329–334 (1971).
Fink, R. M., Fink, K.: Relative retention of 3H and 14C labels of nucleosides incorporated into nucleic acids of Neurospora. J. biol. Chem. 237, 2889–2891 (1962).
Grivell, A. R., Jackson, J. F.: Thymidine kinase: evidence for its absence from Neurospora crassa and some other microorganisms, and the relevance of this to the specific labelling of deoxyribonucleic acid. J. gen. Microbiol. 84, 307–317 (1968)
Gromov, B. V., Avilov, I. A.: Effect of growth conditions on the blue-green alga Synechocystis aquatilis Sanv. (Russ.) Physiol. Rasteniy 16, 1088–1091 (1969).
Jyssum, S.: Utilization of thymine, thymidine and TMP by Neisseria meningitidis. 2. Lack of enzymes for specific incorporation of exogenous thymine, thymidine and TMP into DNA. Acta path. microbiol. scand., Sect. B 79, 778–788 (1971)
Jyssum, S., Jyssum, K.: Utilization of thymine, thymidine and TMP by Neisseria meningitidis. I. Growth response and uptake of labelled material. Acta path. microbiol. scand., Sect. B 78, 683–691 (1970)
Kammen, H. O.: Thymine metabolism in E. coli. Factors involved in utilization of exogenous thymine. Biochim. biophys. Acta (Amst.) 134, 301–311 (1967)
Kratz, W. A., Myers, J.: Nutrition and growth of several blue-green algae. Amer. J. Bot. 42, 282–287 (1955)
Leak, L. V.: Electron microscopic autoradiography incorporation of 3H-thymidine in blue-green alga Anabaena sp. J. Ultrastruct Res. 12, 135–146 (1965)
Marty, M. F., Coulon, J., Busson, M.F.: Incorporations de thymidine-3H, uridine-3H et leucine-3H dans l'algue blue Spirulina platensis (Gom) geitler. C. R. Acad. Sci. (Paris) 272, serie D, 2021–2024 (1971)
Meyer, R. R.: Nonspecific incorporation of 3H-thymidine into the chloroplasts of Spirogyra grevilleana. Biochem. biophys. Res. Commun. 25, 549–553 (1966)
Pigott, G. H., Carr, N. G.: The assimilation of nucleic acid precursors by intact cells and protoplasts of the blue-green alga Anacystis nidulans. Arch. Mikrobiol. 79, 1–6 (1971)
Sagan, L.: An unusual pattern of tritiated thymidine incorporation into Euglena. J. Protozool. 12, 105–110 (1965)
Sherman, L. A., Haselkorn, R.: LPP-I infection of the blue-green alga Plectonema boryanum. II. Viral DNA synthesis and host DNA breakdown. J. Virol. 6, 834–840 (1970)
Shestakov, S. V., Glaser, V. M., Zhevner, V. D.: Ultraviolet light induced incorporation of thymine and thymidine into DNA of blue-green algae (Russian). Biol. Nauki 5, 107–111 (1973)
Vanjushin, B. F., Belozersky, A. N.: A comparative study of the composition of ribonucleic acids in higher plants (Russ.) Dokladi Akademii Nauk USSR 127, 455–458 (1959)
Williams, L. G., Mitchell, H. K.: Mutants affecting thymidine metabolism in Neurospora crassa. J. Bact. 100, 383–389 (1969)
Yagil, E., Rosner, A.: Effect of adenosine and deoxyadenosine on the incorporation and breakdown of thymidine in Escherichia coli K-12. J. Bact. 103, 417–421 (1970)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Glaser, V.M., Al-Nuri, M.A., Groshev, V.V. et al. The labelling of nucleic acids by radioactive precursors in the blue-green algae Anacystis nidulans and Synechocystis aquatilis Sanv.. Archiv. Mikrobiol. 92, 217–226 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00411202
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00411202