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Inhibition of L-Asparaginase in Extracts of Mycobacterium phlei by D-Asparagine

Nature volume 177, pages 623–624 (1956)Cite this article

Abstract

THE concept that substances related chemically to a metabolite might interfere with the normal function of that metabolite or displace it from the site of attachment to the appropriate enzyme1 is now well established. Accordingly, an unnatural stereoisomer of a metabolite could also be regarded as a potential antimetabolite; but it was surprising to find that only a few unnatural amino-acids did, in fact, interfere with the growth-promoting effects of their natural antipodes. Thus, D-leucine2 and D-tryptophan3 interfere with the growth-promoting effects of the corresponding L-isomers in lactobacilli, and D-glutamic acid was found partially to inhibit the activity of the L-glutamic acid decarboxylase obtained from E. coli 4.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Bacteriology, Hebrew University–Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem

    NATHAN GROSSOWICZ & YEHESKEL S. HALPERN

Authors
  1. NATHAN GROSSOWICZ
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  2. YEHESKEL S. HALPERN
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GROSSOWICZ, N., HALPERN, Y. Inhibition of L-Asparaginase in Extracts of Mycobacterium phlei by D-Asparagine. Nature 177, 623–624 (1956). https://doi.org/10.1038/177623a0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/177623a0

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