The assimilation of amino acids by bacteria. 19. The inhibition of phenylalanine incorporation in Staphylococcus aureus by chloramphenicol and p-chlorophenylalanine

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Abstract
Incubation of washed suspensions of Staphylococcus aureus with glucose and C14-labelled phenylalanine results in incorporation of the isotope into the protein fraction of the cells. The rate of incorporation can be markedly increased by addition of a complete mixture of amino acids to the incubation mixture. The incorporation of phenylalanine, in the presence or absence of the amino acid mixture, is competitively inhibited by p-chlorophenylalanine, and non-competitively inhibited by chloramphenicol, aureomycin or Terramycin. The incorporation of phenylalanine is more sensitive to the action of chloramphenicol, aureomycin or Terramycin than is the incorporation of glutamic acid. When a complete mixture of amino acids is present, an inhibitor may affect net protein synthesis, the incorporation of phenylalanine and the incorporation of glutamic acid to different extents. p-Chlorophenylalanine completely inhibits net protein synthesis and phenylalanine incorporation without significant effect on glutamic acid incorporation.