The mechanism of action of novobiocin was studied in various strains of Escherichia coli. In all strains tested except mutants of strain ML, the drug immediately and reversibly inhibited cell division, and later slowed cell growth. The previously described impairment of membrane integrity, degradation of ribonucleic acid (RNA), and associated bactericidal effect were found to be peculiar to ML ...

Information-bearing nucleic acids display universal 3'-5' linkages, but regioisomeric 2'-5' linkages occur sporadically in non-enzymatic RNA synthesis and may have aided prebiotic RNA replication. Herein we report on the enzymatic synthesis of both DNA and RNA with site-specific 2'-5' linkages by an engineered polymerase using 3'-deoxy- or 3'-O-methyl-NTPs as substrates. We also report the reve...

We have separated the RNA synthesis-stimulating activity and the DNA synthesis-stimulating activity of extracts of Phaseolus vulgaris (phytohemagglutinin) from the erythroagglutinins, leukoagglutinins, and cytotoxic factors. We have shown that the substances stimulating the synthesis of nucleic acids are probably not proteins, since they are not significantly affected by rigorous deproteinizati...