The Effect of Actidione on Mitosis in the Slime Mold Physarum Polycephalum

Actidione, reportedly a specific inhibitor of protein synthesis, was found to reduce the incorporation of labeled amino acids into proteins of the slime mold Physarum polycephalum without drastically inhibiting the incorporation of nucleic acid precursors into RNA. This inhibitor was found to completely block the ensuing mitosis if it was added at any time between telophase and late prophase. Plasmodia given Actidione in late prophase (about the time of nucleolar dissolution) went on through telophase to reconstruction even though nuclear amino acid incorporation was drastically reduced during that period.