Excretion of 5'-Nucleotides by Bacteria

A Bacillus accumulated 5'-nucleotides in the culture fluid during cultivation. These nucleotides consisted mainly of ribonucleoside 5'-monophosphates and of traces of nucleoside 5'-diphosphates. The composition of the accumulated nucleotides resembled that of the nucleotides of intracellular RNA. Therefore an intimate relationship between the accumulation of nucleotides and the metabolism of endogenous RNA was suggested.The excretion of 5'-nucleotides into the culture fluid took place in parallel with the reduction of intracellular RNA, and it was presumed that the accumulated nucleotides were products of degradation of intracellular RNA.