Action of Micrococcal Phosphodiesterase on Tobacco Mosaic Virus Nucleic Acid

Abstract

Cunningham, Catlin and de Garilhe¹ were the first to report the occurrence of a calcium-activated nuclease in the culture medium of Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus. These authors partially purified the enzyme and studied its action on deoxyribonucleic acid. In the complete digest they reported the presence of mononucleoside 3′-phosphates and also oligonucleotides. The latter were not identified except for one dinucleotide, deoxyadenylyl-(3′-5′)-deoxycytidine 3′-phosphate². Recently, it was further demonstrated that this enzyme, when activated with calcium, hydrolyses ribonucleic acid³.