THE INHIBITION OF TWO ANTIBACTERIAL BASIC PROTEINS BY NUCLEIC ACIDS

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Abstract
The neutralization of the anti-bacterial properties of a basic protein of normal thymus and of protamine has been shown to occur in the presence of ribonucleic and desoxyribonucleic acid. The quantitative aspects of this neutralization has been demonstrated in cultures of Bacillus subtilis using aerobic respiration of the organisms in the Warburg apparatus as the indicator of the reaction. DRNA is more effective than RNA in inhibiting the thymus protein. In contrast, no quantitative difference in inhibition was noted when these 2 nucleic acids were added to protamine. These data suggest that the mechanism of antibacterial action of basic proteins may depend upon their capacity to combine with nucleic acid complexes essential in the processes of aerobic respiration.