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Effect of actinomycin D on viability, sporulation and nucleotide pool ofBacillus megaterium

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Abstract

A transient 7-fold rise of ppGpp concentration, 2-3-fold increase of pppGpp concentration and 50 % drop of the concentration of GTP inBacillus megaterium cells immediately after their transfer to the sporulation medium were observed. Actinomycin D, in concentrations inhibiting RNA synthesis by 95%, blocked the rise of the (p)ppGpp pool and caused an instant several-fold increase of the GTP level. When the cells were exposed to actinomycin D in the sporulation medium for a 1-h period (time 0–1 h, 1–2 h or 2.20–3.20-h), they were able to form colonies on nutrient agar after being kept, in addition for 1–2 h in the sporulation medium free of the antibiotic. The ability of sporulation was, however, markedly limited. The share of cells that could sporulate increased when the irreversible sporulation phase was reached.

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Váchová, L., Strnadová, M., Kučerová, H. et al. Effect of actinomycin D on viability, sporulation and nucleotide pool ofBacillus megaterium . Folia Microbiol 35, 190–199 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02820484

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