THE MODE OF ACTION OF A NEW ANTITUMOR ANTIBIOTIC, SPORAMYCIN

Abstract

Sporamycin, an antitumor antibiotic, primarily inhibited DNA synthesis, while RNA and protein synthesis were not significantly affected in HeLa S3 cells. The antibiotic also caused strand scission of cellular DNA. However, the effects were not observed when the cells were incubated at 0°C before washing and subsequently incubated at 37°C. The Tm of calf thymus DNA decreased when incubated with sporamycin in vitro. Sporamycin did
not affect DNA synthesis in vitro catalyzed by partially purified DNA polymerase α, β, and γ derived from EHRLICH ascites cells.