MODE OF ACTION OF CHLORAMPHENICOL I

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Abstract
A general scheme of approach to the study of action of chloramphenicol on micro-organisms is presented. Chloramphenicol, at bacteriostatic concns., strongly inhibits assimilation of NH3 by resting suspensions of E. coli from an NH3-glycerol-salts medium. A small amt. of NH3 continues to be assimilated even in the presence of high antibiotic concns. In the presence of NH3, O2 consumption with glycerol is somewhat depressed but no effect of chloramphenicol is demonstrable on O2 consumption in the absence of NH3. Introduction of chloramphenicol into a rapidly growing culture of E. coli, strain B, is followed by abrupt cessation of protein synthesis. Both ribonucleic acid and desoxyribonucleic acid continue to be synthesized at an unaltered rate after protein synthesis has ceased.