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. 1983 Oct;80(20):6303–6306. doi: 10.1073/pnas.80.20.6303

Membership mutation of the genetic code: loss of fitness by tryptophan.

J T Wong
PMCID: PMC394285  PMID: 6413975

Abstract

Bacillus subtilis strain QB928, a tryptophan-auxotroph, was serially mutated to yield strain HR15. For QB928, tryptophan functioned as a competent amino acid and 4-fluorotryptophan as merely an inferior analogue. For HR15, these roles were reversed. The tryptophan/4-fluorotryptophan growth ratio decreased by a factor of 2 X 10(4) in the transition from QB928 to HR15.

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Selected References

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