Chlorination of guanosine and other nucleosides by hypochlorous acid and myeloperoxidase of activated human neutrophils. Catalysis by nicotine and trimethylamine

Activated human neutrophils secrete myeloperoxidase, which generates HOCl from H2O2 and Cl(-). We have found that various (2'-deoxy)nucleosides react with HOCl to form chlorinated (2'-deoxy)nucleosides, including novel 8-chloro(2'-deoxy)guanosine, 5-chloro(2'-deoxy)cytidine, and 8-chloro(2'-deoxy)adenosine formed in yields of 1.6, 1.6, and 0.2%, respectively, when 0.5 mM nucleoside reacted with 0.5 mM HOCl at pH 7.4. The relative chlorination, oxidation, and nitration activities of HOCl, myeloperoxidase, and activated human neutrophils in the presence and absence of nitrite were studied by analyzing 8-chloro-, 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-, and 8-nitro-guanosine, respectively, using guanosine as a probe. 8-Chloroguanosine was always more easily formed than 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro- or 8-nitro-guanosine. Using electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry, we show that several chlorinated nucleosides including 8-chloro(2'-deoxy)guanosine are formed following exposure of isolated DNA or RNA to HOCl. Micromolar concentrations of tertiary amines such as nicotine and trimethylamine dramatically enhanced chlorination of free (2'-deoxy)nucleosides and nucleosides in RNA by HOCl. As the G-463A polymorphism of the MPO gene, which strongly reduces myeloperoxidase mRNA expression, is associated with a reduced risk of lung cancer, chlorination damage of DNA /RNA and nucleosides by myeloperoxidase and its enhancement by nicotine may be important in the pathophysiology of human diseases associated with tobacco habits.     

Stimulation of deoxyribonucleic acid excision repair in human fibroblasts pretreated with sodium butyrate

The effect of pretreatment with sodium butyrate on DNA excision repair was studied in intact and permeable confluent (i.e., growth-inhibited) diploid human fibroblasts. Exposure to 20 mM sodium butyrate for 48 h increased subsequent ultraviolet (UV)-induced [methyl-3H]thymidine incorporation by intact AG1518 fibroblasts by 1.8-fold and by intact IMR-90 fibroblasts by 1.2-1.3-fold. UV-induced incorporation of deoxy[5-3H]cytidine, deoxy[6-3H]cytidine, and deoxy[6-3H]uridine, however, showed lesser degrees of either stimulation or inhibition in butyrate-pretreated cells. This result suggested that measurements of butyrate's effect on DNA repair synthesis in intact cells are confounded by simultaneous changes in nucleotide metabolism. The effect of butyrate on excision repair was also studied in permeable human fibroblasts in which excision repair is dependent on exogenous nucleotides. Butyrate pretreatment stimulated UV-induced repair synthesis by 1.3-1.7-fold in permeable AG1518 cells and by 1.5-2-fold in permeable IMR-90 cells. This stimulation of repair synthesis was not due to changes in repair patch size or composition or in the efficiency of DNA damage production but rather resulted from a butyrate-induced increase in the rate of damage-specific incision of DNA. The increased rate of incision in butyrate-pretreated cells could be due either to increased levels of enzymes mediating steps in excision repair at or before incision or to alterations in chromatin structure making damage sites in DNA more accessible to repair enzymes.     

The synergistic lethal interaction of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum and natural nucleosides is related to increased DNA cross-links

Human tumor cells were treated in vitro with combinations of cis- or trans-dichlodiammineplatinum (DDP) and natural nucleosides (thymidine, uridine, cytidine and adenosine). Effects were measured by inhibition of colony-formation (cell survival) and DNA alkaline elution (DNA cross-links). No increments in cell lethality or DNA cross-links were elicited by any combination of trans-DDP and nucleosides. In contrast, every combination of cis-DDP and nucleoside was eminently synergistic with 5- and 10-fold increases in cell lethality over the predicted sum of each agent alone. These increments in cell kill correlated linearly with increases in DNA crosslinks suggesting that the nucleosides interact with cis-DDP to enhance its cytotoxic crosslinking mode of action.     

Two nucleoside uptake systems in Lactococcus lactis: competition between purine nucleosides and cytidine allows for modulation of intracellular nucleotide pools

A method for measuring internal nucleoside triphosphate pools of lactococci was optimized and validated. This method is based on extraction of (33)P-labeled nucleotides with formic acid and evaluation by two-dimensional chromatography with a phosphate buffer system for the first dimension and with an H(3)BO(3)-LiOH buffer for separation in the second dimension. We report here the sizes of the ribo- and deoxyribonucleotide pools in laboratory strain MG1363 during growth in a defined medium. We found that purine- and pyrimidine-requiring strains may be used to establish physiological conditions in batch fermentations with altered nucleotide pools and growth rates by addition of nucleosides in different combinations. Addition of cytidine together with inosine to a purine-requiring strain leads to a reduction in the internal purine nucleotide pools and a decreased growth rate. This effect was not seen if cytidine was replaced by uridine. A similar effect was observed if cytidine and inosine were added to a pyrimidine-requiring strain; the UTP pool size was significantly decreased, and the growth rate was reduced. To explain the observed inhibition, the nucleoside transport systems in Lactococcus lactis were investigated by measuring the uptake of radioactively labeled nucleosides. The K(m) for for inosine, cytidine, and uridine was determined to be in the micromolar range. Furthermore, it was found that cytidine and inosine are competitive inhibitors of each other, whereas no competition was found between uridine and either cytidine or inosine. These findings suggest that there are two different high-affinity nucleoside transporters, one system responsible for uridine uptake and another system responsible for the uptake of all purine nucleosides and cytidine.     

Sodium-dependent nucleoside transport in choroid plexus from rabbit. Evidence for a single transporter for purine and pyrimidine nucleosides.

The overall goal of this study was to determine the mechanisms by which nucleosides are transported in choroid plexus. Choroid plexus tissue slices obtained from rabbit brain were depleted of ATP with 2,4-dinitrophenol. Uridine and thymidine accumulated in the slices against a concentration gradient in the presence of an inwardly directed Na+ gradient. The Na(+)-driven uptake of uridine and thymidine was saturable with Km values of 18.1 +/- 2.0 and 13.0 +/- 2.3 microM and Vmax values of 5.5 +/- 0.3 and 1.0 +/- 0.2 nmol/g/s, respectively. Na(+)-driven uridine uptake was inhibited by naturally occurring ribo- and deoxyribonucleosides (adenosine, cytidine, and thymidine) but not by synthetic nucleoside analogs (dideoxyadenosine, dideoxycytidine, cytidine arabinoside, and 3'-azidothymidine). Both purine (guanosine, inosine, formycin B) and pyrimidine nucleosides (uridine and cytidine) were potent inhibitors of Na(+)-thymidine transport with IC50 values ranging between 5 and 23 microM. Formycin B competitively inhibited Na(+)-thymidine uptake and thymidine trans-stimulated formycin B uptake. These data suggest that both purine and pyrimidine nucleosides are substrates of the same system. The stoichiometric coupling ratios between Na+ and the nucleosides, guanosine, uridine, and thymidine, were 1.87 +/- 0.10, 1.99 +/- 0.35, and 2.07 +/- 0.09, respectively. The system differs from Na(+)-nucleoside co-transport systems in other tissues which are generally selective for either purine or pyrimidine nucleosides and which have stoichiometric ratios of 1. This study represents the first direct demonstration of a unique Na(+)-nucleoside co-transport system in choroid plexus.     

Dual function of pyrimidine metabolism in potato (Solanum tuberosum) plants: pyrimidine salvage and supply of β-alanine to pantothenic acid synthesis

Uridine and cytidine are major nucleosides and are produced as catabolites of pyrimidine nucleotides. To study the metabolic fates and role of these nucleosides in plants, we have performed pulse (2 h) and chase (12 h) experiments with [2-¹⁴C]uridine and [2-¹⁴C]cytidine and determined the activities of some related enzymes using tubers and fully expanded leaves from 10-week-old potato plants ( Solanum tuberosum L.). In tubers, more than 94% of exogenously supplied [2-¹⁴C]uridine and [2-¹⁴C]cytidine was converted to pyrimidine nucleotides and RNA during 2-h pulse, and radioactivity in these salvage products still remained at 12 h after the chase. Little degradation of pyrimidine was found. A similar pyrimidine salvage was operative in leaves, although more than 20% of the radioactivity from [2-¹⁴C]uridine and [2-¹⁴C]cytidine was released as ¹⁴CO₂ during the chase. Enzyme profile data show that uridine/cytidine kinase (EC 2.7.1.48) activity is higher in tubers than in leaves, but uridine nucleosidase (EC 3.2.2.3) activity was higher in leaves. In leaves, radioactivity from [U-¹⁴C]uracil was incorporated into β-ureidopropionic acid, CO₂, β-alanine, pantothenic acid and several common amino acids. Our results suggest two functions of uridine and cytidine metabolism in leaves; these nucleosides are not only substrates for the classical pyrimidine salvage pathways but also starting materials for the biosynthesis of β-alanine. Subsequently, some β-alanine units are utilized for the synthesis of pantothenic acid in potato leaves.     

Mutants of Escherichia coli unable to metabolize cytidine: isolation and characterization

Summary Strains of Escherichia coli have been selected, which contain mutations in the udk gene, encoding uridine kinase. The gene has been located on the chromosome as cotransducible with the his gene and shown to be responsible for both uridine and cytidine kinase activities in the cell.An additional mutation in the cdd gene (encoding cytidine deaminase) has been introduced, thus rendering the cells unable to metabolize cytidine. In these mutants exogenously added cytidine acts as inducer of nucleoside catabolizing enzymes indicating that cytidine per se is the actual inducer.When the udk, cdd mutants are grown on minimal medium the enzyme levels are considerably higher than in wild type cells. Evidence is presented indicating that the high levels are due to intracellular accumulation of cytidine, which acts as endogenous inducer.Abbreviations and Symbols FU 5-fluorouracil - FUR 5-fluorouridine - FUdR 5-fluoro-2'deoxyuridine - FCR 5-fluorocytidine - FCdR 5-fluorodeoxycytidine - THUR 3, 4, 5, 6-tetrahydrouridine - UMP uridine monophosphate - CMP cytidine monophosphate - dUMP deoxyuridine monophosphate. Genes coding for: cytidine deaminase - edd uridine phosphorylase - udp thymidine phosphorylase - tpp purmnucleoside phosphorylase - pup uridine kinase (=cytidine kinase) - udk UMP-pyrophosphorylase - upp. CytR regulatory gene for cdd, udp, dra, tpp, drm and pup Enzymes EC 2.4.2.1 Purine nucleoside phosphorylase or purine nucleoside: orthophosphate (deoxy)-ribosyltransferase - EC 2.4.2.4 thymidine phosphorylase or thymidine: orthophosphate deoxyribosyltransferase - EC 2.4.2.3 uridine phosphorylase or uridine: orthophosphate ribosyltransferase - EC 3.5.4.5 cytidine deaminase or (deoxy)cytidine aminohydrolase - EC 4.1.2.4 deoxyriboaldolase or 2-deoxy-D-ribose-5-phosphate: acetaldehydelyase - EC 2.4.2.9 UMP-pyrophosphorylase or UMP: pyrophosphate phosphoribosyltransferase - EC 2.7.1.48 uridine kinase or ATP: uridine 5-phosphotransferase     

Nonenzymatic labeling of proteins by preparations of [35S]methionine

A rapid, simple, and sensitive radiochemical assay for the measurement of purine or pyrimidine nucleoside kinases (EC 2.7.1.-) is described. The substrate (thymidine, deoxyuridine, deoxycytidine, deoxyguanosine, deoxyadenosine, uridine, cytidine, and adenosine) is separated from the product (the respective 5′-nucleotide) on neutral alumina columns which retain the nucleotides but not the nucleosides. The nucleotides are recovered by elution with 0.4 m sodium phosphate buffer, pH 7.6.     

Metabolism of pyrimidine bases and nucleosides in Neisseria meningitidis.

In Neisseria meningitidis, uridine, deoxyuridine, cytosine, cytidine, or deoxycytidine could not be used by uracil-requiring mutants as pyrimidine sources. Consistent with these findings, only 5-fluorouracil of the different fluoropyrimidine bases and nucleosides showed any inhibitory effect on the growth of four prototrophic strains of N. meningitidis. Likewise, only radioactive uracil was readily incorporated into nucleic acids, whereas uptake of radioactive uridine, cytosine, or cytidine could not be demonstrated. Uracil was converted to uridine 5'-monophosphate by uracil phosphoribosyltransferase, whereas enzyme activities for conversion of cytosine or any of the nucleosides were not detectable in meningococcal extracts.     

Pyrimidine Salvage Pathways In Toxoplasma Gondii

ABSTRACT. Pyrimidine salvage enzyme activities in cell-free extracts of Toxoplasma gondii were assayed in order to determine which of these enzyme activities are present in these parasites. Enzyme activities that were detected included phosphoribosyltransferase activity towards uracil (but not cytosine or thymine), nucleoside phosphorylase activity towards uridine, deoxyuridine and thymidine (but not cytidine or deoxycytidine), deaminase activity towards cytidine and deoxycytidine (but not cytosine, cytidine 5'-monophosphate or deoxycytidine 5'-monophosphate), and nucleoside 5'-monophosphate phosphohydrolase activity towards all nucleotides tested. No nucleoside kinase or phosphotransferase activity was detected, indicating that T. gondii lack the ability to directly phosphorylate nucleosides. Toxoplasma gondii appear to have a single non-specific uridine phosphorylase enzyme which can catalyze the reversible phosphorolysis of uridine, deoxyuridine and thymidine, and a single cytidine deaminase activity which can deaminate both cytidine and deoxycytidine. These results indicate that pyrimidine salvage in T. gondii probably occurs via the following reactions: cytidine and deoxycytidine are deaminated by cytidine deaminase to uridine and deoxyuridine, respectively; uridine and deoxyuridine are cleaved to uracil by uridine phosphorylase; and uracil is metabolized to uridine 5'-monophosphate by uracil phosphoribosyltransferase. Thus, uridine 5'-monophosphate is the end-product of both de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis and pyrimidine salvage in T. gondii.     

Differential effects of 5-azacytidine and 5-azadeoxycytidine on cytotoxicity, DNA-strand breaking and repair of X-ray-induced DNA damage in HeLa cells

The cytotoxicity, DNA-strand breaking ability, and effects on repair of X-ray-induced DNA damage by short treatments with 5-azacytidine (azaCyd) and 5-azadeoxycytidine (azadCyd) were examined in HeLa cells. azaCyd was shown to be an effective inhibitor of the repair of X-ray-induced DNA single-strand breaks whereas azadCyd did not have this effect. At high doses, both compounds also induced DNA damage by themselves. The cytotoxicity, inhibition of repair, and drug-induced DNA damage associated with azaCyd treatment were all reversed by the concurrent addition to the cells of cytidine or uridine but not by thymidine, deoxycytidine or deoxyuridine. Cytotoxicity and drug-induced strand breaks associated with azadCyd treatment were reversed to varying degrees with all nucleosides and deoxynucleosides. These results support the notion that these two antileukemic cytidine analogs may have different mechanisms of action in exerting their antiproliferative activity.     

End group of naturally terminated and UV lesion terminated T7 in vitro RNA.

The 3' terminal nucleosides of RNA transcribed in vitro by E. coli RNA polymerase from T7 DNA and UV irradiated TN DNA were determined. The 3' terminal nucleoside of naturally terminated (t1 termination site) RNA cytidine. In the case of RNA terminated at UV lesions, it is cytidine in 0 per cent of the molecules and adenosine in the remaining 30 per cent. Cytidine trialcohols are labile in high concentrations of KOH and at high temperature and appear to convert to uridine.     

Cytidine is a novel substrate for wild-type concentrative nucleoside transporter 2

Nucleoside transporter (NT) plays key roles in the physiology of nucleosides and the pharmacology of its analogues in mammals. We previously cloned Na+/nucleoside cotransporter CNT2 from mouse M5076 ovarian sarcoma cells, the peptide encoded by it differing from that by the previously reported mouse CNT2 in five substitutions, and observed that the transporter can take up cytidine, like CNT1 and CNT3. In the present study, we examined which of the two aforementioned CNT2 is the normal one, and whether or not cytidine is transported via the previously reported CNT2. The peptide encoded by CNT2 derived from mouse intestine, liver, spleen, and ovary was identical to that previously reported. The uptake of [3H]cytidine, but not [3H]thymidine, by Cos-7 cells transfected with CNT2 cDNA obtained from mouse intestine was much greater than that by mock cells, as in the case of [3H]uridine, a typical substrate of NT. [3H]Cytidine and [3H]uridine were taken up via CNT2, in temperature-, extracellular Na+-, and substrate concentration-dependent manners. The uptake of [3H]cytidine and [3H]uridine mediated by CNT2 was significantly inhibited by the variety of nucleosides used in this study, except for thymidine, and inhibition of the [3H]uridine uptake by cytidine was competitive. The [3H]uridine uptake via CNT2 was significantly decreased by the addition of cytarabin or gemcitabine, antimetabolites of cytidine analogue. These results indicated that the previously reported mouse CNT2 is the wild-type one, and cytidine is transported mediated by the same recognition site on the CNT2 with uridine, and furthermore, cytidine analogues may be substrates for the transporter.     

8-Chloroadenine: a novel product formed from hypochlorous acid-induced damage to calf thymus DNA

Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) is formed by the action of the enzyme myeloperoxidase on hydrogen peroxide and chloride ions. It has been shown to be highly bactericidal and cytotoxic by a variety of mechanisms, one of which, may be the modification of DNA. Previously we have demonstrated by GC-MS analysis that exposure of calf thymus DNA to HOCl causes extensive pyrimidine modification, including 5-chlorocytosine formation. Using GC-MS analysis, we now demonstrate the formation of an additional chlorinated base product, 8-Cl adenine. The addition of 50 μM HOCl was sufficient to produce a significant increase in this product. The reaction of HOCl with adenine in calf thymus DNA was shown to be rapid with the reaction complete after 1 min. pH-dependence studies suggest HOCl rather than its conjugate base (OCl-) to be responsible for 8-Cl adenine formation. Other commercially available chlorinated base products, 6-Cl guanine or 2-Cl adenine were not detected. Therefore, 8-Cl adenine might prove a useful biomarker for studying the role of reactive chlorine species (RCS) during inflammatory processes.     

Synthesis of phosphonate derivatives of uridine, cytidine, and cytosine arabinoside

The vinyl phosphonate derivatives of uridine, cytidine, and cytosine arabinoside (ara-C) have been prepared through oxidation of appropriately protected nucleosides to the 5' aldehydes and Wittig condensation with [(diethoxyphosphinyl)methylidine]triphenylphosphorane. Dihydroxylation of these vinyl phosphonates with an AD-mix reagent generated the new 5',6'-dihydroxy-6'-phosphonates. After hydrolysis of the phosphonate esters and the various protecting groups, the six phosphonic acids were tested for their ability to serve as substrates for the enzyme nucleotide monophosphate kinase and for their toxicity to K562 cells.     

Purine and pyrimidine nucleosides preserve human astrocytoma cell adenylate energy charge under ischemic conditions

The brain depends on both glycolysis and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation for maintenance of ATP pools. Astrocytes play an integral role in brain functions providing trophic supports and energy substrates for neurons. In this paper, we report that human astrocytoma cells (ADF) undergoing ischemic conditions may use both purine and pyrimidine nucleosides as energy source to slow down cellular damage. The cells are subjected to metabolic stress conditions by exclusion of glucose and incubation with oligomycin (an inhibitor of oxidative phosphorylation). This treatment brings about a depletion of the ATP pool, with a concomitant increase in the AMP levels, which results in a significant decrease of the adenylate energy charge. The presence of purine nucleosides in the culture medium preserves the adenylate energy charge, and improves cell viability. Besides purine nucleosides, also pyrimidine nucleosides, such as uridine and, to a lesser extent, cytidine, are able to preserve the ATP pool. The determination of lactate in the incubation medium indicates that nucleosides can preserve the ATP pool through anaerobic glycolysis, thus pointing to a relevant role of the phosphorolytic cleavage of the N-glycosidic bond of nucleosides which generates, without energy expense, the phosphorylated pentose, which through the pentose phosphate pathway and glycolysis can be converted to energetic intermediates also in the absence of oxygen. In fact, ADF cells possess both purine nucleoside phosphorylase and uridine phosphorylase activities.     

Taxonomic distribution and quantitative analysis of free purine and pyrimidine nucleosides in snake venoms

The nucleoside content of 32 elapid and viperid venoms was examined. Free purines, principally adenosine (ADO), inosine (INO), and guanosine (GUA), comprised as much as 8.7% of the solid components of some venoms. Thus, purines are far more abundant in some venoms than many proteinaceous toxins. Hypoxanthine (HYP) was found in about half of elapid and viperine venoms, in which it is a relatively minor constituent (<60 microg/g). Adenosine monophosphate (AMP) was tentatively identified in only three elapid and two viperid venoms. The pyrimidines, uridine (URI) and cytidine (CYT), were also found in most elapid and viperine venoms. In most of these, the amount of uridine was substantially greater than that of cytidine. Thymidine (THY) was not found in any venom, indicating that DNA from disintegration of glandular cells is not the source of venom nucleosides. In contrast to elapid and viperine venoms, most crotaline venoms are devoid of free nucleosides. Elapid and viperine venoms also contained other minor, low molecular weight constituents that could not be positively identified. Some had spectra identical to those of adenosine, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), inosine, xanthosine (XAN), and guanosine, while others had unique spectra. There is no apparent correlation between quantities of venom nucleosides and literature values for the three dominant venom enzymes that release endogenous nucleosides, 5'-nucleotidase (5NUC), phosphodiesterase (PDE), and alkaline phosphomonoesterase (PME).     

8-Chloroadenine: a novel product formed from hypochlorous acid-induced damage to calf thymus DNA

Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) is formed by the action of the enzyme myeloperoxidase on hydrogen peroxide and chloride ions. It has been shown to be highly bactericidal and cytotoxic by a variety of mechanisms, one of which, may be the modification of DNA. Previously we have demonstrated by GC-MS analysis that exposure of calf thymus DNA to HOCl causes extensive pyrimidine modification, including 5-chlorocytosine formation. Using GC-MS analysis, we now demonstrate the formation of an additional chlorinated base product, 8-Cl adenine. The addition of 50 μM HOCl was sufficient to produce a significant increase in this product. The reaction of HOCl with adenine in calf thymus DNA was shown to be rapid with the reaction complete after 1 min. pH-dependence studies suggest HOCl rather than its conjugate base (OCl-) to be responsible for 8-Cl adenine formation. Other commercially available chlorinated base products, 6-Cl guanine or 2-Cl adenine were not detected. Therefore, 8-Cl adenine might prove a useful biomarker for studying the role of reactive chlorine species (RCS) during inflammatory processes.     

古尼虫草核苷类成分的高效液相色谱分析*

以已知核苷为标样,并以冬虫夏草做对比,利用反相高效液相色谱法对古尼虫草及其发酵菌丝体的核苷类化学成分进行了分析,结果表明古尼虫草和冬虫夏草主要含有7种标样核苷中的腺苷、胞苷、尿苷,其含量相当,而古尼虫草发酵菌丝体中腺苷和尿苷的含量是古尼虫草子座或僵虫体的2~3倍。     

Uridine and cytidine transport in Escherichia coli B and transport-deficient mutants.

Three mutants of Escherichia coli B which are defective in components of the transport system for uridine and uracil were isolated and utilized to study the mechanism of uridine transport. Mutant U- was isolated from a culture resistant to 77 micronM 5-fluorouracil. Mutant U-UR-, isolated from a culture of mutant U-, is resistant to 770 micronM 5-fluorouracil and 750 micronM adenosine. Mutant NUC- is resistant to 80 micronM showdomycin and has been reported previously. The characteristics of uridine transport by E. coli B and the mutants provide data supporting the following conclusions. The transport of adenosine, deoxyadenosine, guanosine, deoxyguanosine, adenine, or guanine by mutant U- and mutant U-UR- is identical with that in the parental strain. Uridine is transported by E. coli B as intact uridine. In addition, extracellular uridine is also rapidly cleaved to uracil and the ribose moiety. The latter is transported into the cells, whereas uracil appears in the medium and is transported by a separate uracil transport system. The entry of the ribose moiety of uridine is fast relative to the uracil and uridine transport processes. The Km values and the inhibitory effects of heterologous nucleosides for the transport of uridine and the ribose moiety of uridine are similar. Studies of cytidine uptake in the parental and mutant strains provide evidence that cytidine is transported by two independent systems, one of which is the same as that involved in the transport of intact uridine. Uridine inhibits but is not transported by the other system for cytidine transport. Evidence for the above conclusions was based on comparisons of the characteristics of [2-14C]uridine, [U-14C]uridine, and [2-14C]cytidine transport using E. coli B and the three transport mutants under conditions which measure initial rates. The nature of the inhibitory effects of heterologous nucleosides on the uridine transport processes and identification of extracellular components from radioactive uridine provides supportive data for the conclusions.