Influence of phenylalanine analogues upon bacterial accumulation and incorporation of phenylalanine.

Conway, T. W. (The University of Texas, Austin), E. M. Lansford, Jr., and W. Shive. Influence of phenylalanine analogues upon bacterial accumulation and incorporation of phenylalanine. J. Bacteriol. 85:141-149. 1963.-Phenylalanine accumulation and its relation to phenylalanine incorporation into trichloroacetic acid-insoluble material in Escherichia coli 9723 were studied with a variety of structural analogues of phenylalanine. Inhibition of phenylalanine-C(14) incorporation was exerted by analogues only when their concentration was sufficient to prevent the formation of 85 to 90% of the accumulated intracellular phenylalanine "pool," indicating that less than about 15% of the "free amino acid pool" of phenylalanine is essential for maintaining a normal rate of incorporation of phenylalanine into protein. Although certain analogues having high activity in inhibiting accumulation of phenylalanine showed low activity in preventing incorporation, no analogue was found that solely prevented accumulation.