Metabolism of puromycin by yeast cells

Abstract

Yeast cells, supplied with high concentrations of puromycin, formed acyl aminoacyl puromycins and aminoacyl puromycins. These compounds were identified by their behaviour in chromatography and electrophoresis, by the incorporation of radioactive amino acids, acetate, and formate, and by reaction with 1-dimethylamino naphthalene-5-sulfonyl chloride. Methionyl puromycin, contrary to expectation, was not a major product. Although formation of puromycin derivatives closely resembled inhibition of protein synthesis as to its dependence on puromycin concentration, chloramphenicol, cycloheximide, and anisomycin did not affect the formation of these compounds.