Canavanine Death and the Mechanism of DNA Replication in E. coli

摘要

Our experiments have revealed that the mechanism by which the amino acid analogue, canavanine, causes death of Escherichia coli cells is intimately related to a disruption of the normal organization of the bacterial genome. The irreversible positioning of 2 to 8 canavanyl protein bodies on the bacterial membrane appears to jam the DNA replication process causing an abnormal binding of DNA to the membrane, disrupt the nucleus, and prevent further transcription of any cell or viral genomes.