Induction of prophage lambda by nitrofurantoin and its modulation by butylated hydroxytoluene, sodium arsenite and alpha tocopherol.
Nitrofurantoin induced prophage-lambda in E. coli K12 strain GY5027(lambda) in a dose dependent manner, the maximum induction being 10-fold the spontaneous induction level and the maximum efficiency of induction 74%. The lever extract used as a metabolizing mixture enhanced the induction level significantly. Chloramphenicol at a concentration of 20 micrograms/ml inhibited the prophage induction by nitrofurantoin, indicating that the induction required concomitant protein synthesis. Butylated hydroxytoluene(BHT) and sodium arsenite enhanced the nitrofurantoin induced prophage-lambda induction in E. coli GY 5027(lambda) cells in a dose dependent manner. The maximum modulations in induction level (I/Io) were achieved with 100 micrograms/ml BHT and 250 micrograms/ml sodium arsenite corresponding to a nitrofurantoin concentration of 15 micrograms/ml and were found significant on statistical analysis. alpha-tocopherol, however, did not produce any effect on the prophage-lambda induction by nitrofurantoin.
Biophysics Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Calcutta, India.
M S
MS
Rahman
A K
AK
Pal
S N
SN
Chatterjee
D001151:Arsenic / Q000494:pharmacology; D018053:Arsenites; D010582:Bacteriophage lambda / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D002084:Butylated Hydroxytoluene / Q000494:pharmacology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects; D009582:Nitrofurantoin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017670:Sodium Compounds; D014775:Virus Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000494:pharmacology
D018053:Arsenites; D017670:Sodium Compounds; D014810:Vitamin E; D002084:Butylated Hydroxytoluene; C017947:sodium arsenite; D009582:Nitrofurantoin; D001151:Arsenic