Influence of cationic triphenylmethane dyes upon DNA polymerization and product hydrolysis by Escherichia coli polymerase I

Abstract

The cationic triphenylmethane dyes crystal violet, methyl green and malachite green inhibited DNA synthesis catalyzed by E. coli B polymerase I. Lower concentrations of the dyes inhibited DNA replication as a direct function of the proportion of AT to GC in the DNA of Clostridium perfringens, E. coli and Micrococcus lysodeikticus. When the intercalant proflavin was employed, the GC-rich micrococcal DNA was most severely inhibited. Triphenylmethanes and proflavin inhibited product hydrolysis catalyzed by polymerase I.