Abstract
ONE way of investigating the mechanism underlying a biological pattern is to try to alter that pattern with chemical agents. This approach has frequently yielded an embarras de richesses—many compounds having a diversity of actions with no obvious common factor. Examples are the animalising or vegetalising agents in sea urchin embryos (see ref. 1), and, more recently, compounds which alter the polar organisation or number of tentacles in Hydra2. We report an effect of a chemical on a pattern where the situation seems to be different. The tryptophan analogue L-7-azatryptophan (azatryptophan) causes a striking change in the heterocyst pattern in the blue-green alga Anabaena. It is the only compound of many we have tried which has this effect. Moreover, we have evidence against one interpretation of its action, that it produces defective proteins by substituting for tryptophan. This is encouraging because other possible mechanisms offer more hope of being experimentally accessible.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
We are sorry, but there is no personal subscription option available for your country.
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
References
Balinsky, B. I., in An Introduction to Embryology, 177(Saunders, Philadelphia and London, 1970).
Wolpert, L., Hornbruch, A., and Clarke, M. R. B., Am. Zool. (in the press).
Wilcox, M., Mitchison, G. J., and Smith, R. J., J. Cell Sci., 12, 707 (1973).
Wilcox, M., Mitchison, G. J., and Smith, R. J., J. Cell Sci., 13, 637 (1973).
Mitchison, G. J., and Wilcox, M., Nature, 239, 110 (1972).
Pardee, A. B., and Prestridge, L. S., Biochim. biophys. Acta, 27, 330 (1958).
Wilcox, M., Ann. Biochem. (in the press).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
MITCHISON, G., WILCOX, M. Alteration in Heterocyst Pattern of Anabaena produced by 7-Azatryptophan. Nature New Biology 246, 229–233 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1038/newbio246229a0
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/newbio246229a0
This article is cited by
-
Investigation of the links between heterocyst and biohydrogen production by diazotrophic cyanobacterium A. variabilis ATCC 29413
Archives of Microbiology (2016)
-
Pattern of akinete differentiation in the cyanobacteriumScytonema fritschii
Folia Microbiologica (1998)
-
Physiological and biochemical analysis of the glutamine synthetase-impaired mutants of the nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteriumNostoc muscorum
Current Microbiology (1993)
-
Studies on two classes of rifampicin-resistant mutants of the nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteriumNostoc muscorum
Current Microbiology (1989)
-
Action of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid onNostoc linckia: Impact of Glucose and Tryptophan
Folia Microbiologica (1986)