Role of one-carbon precursors in the biosynthesis of deoxyribonucleic acid in bacteriophage infected and growing cells of Escherichia coli.

Nester, Eugene W. (Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio) and John Spizizen. Role of one-carbon precursors in the biosynthesis of deoxyribonucleic acid in bacteriophage-infected and growing cells of Escherichia coli. J. Bacteriol. 82:867-874. 1961.-The ability of growing and T2 bacteriophage-infected cells of Escherichia coli to incorporate serine-3-C(14), glycine-2-C(14), formate-C(14), and formaldehyde-C(14) into purine and pyrimidine moieties of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was determined. All four one-carbon precursors are effective contributors to the DNA-purines, but only glycine-2-C(14) and serine-3-C(14) are incorporated into the side chains of the pyrimidines. In addition, formate-C(14) becomes incorporated only into position 8 of the purine ring, whereas isotope from serine-3-C(14) and glycine-2-C(14) is incorporated equally into the 2 and 8 positions. No qualitative differences were observed in the patterns of incorporation of any one-carbon units in growing or bacteriophage-infected cells. However, the 3-carbon of serine serves as a more effective precursor of the 2 and 8 positions of the DNA purine ring when the cells are infected. Formate-C(14) and to a slight extent glycine-2-C(14) are somewhat better precursors of these positions when the cells are infected under appropriate conditions.