Actinobolin inhibits protein synthesis inEscherichia coli. When the antibiotic is added to a culture at the time of inoculation, RNA synthesis is also inhibited. Inhibition of RNA synthesis appears to be a consequence of inhibition of protein synthesis. Cross-resistance experiments suggest that the mechanism of action of actinobolin differs from that of the other inhibitors of protein synthesis, chloramphenicol and sparsomycin. Phenylalanine prevents the action of actinobolin provided the amino acid and antibiotic are added simultaneously; this effect is not observed if the phenylalanine is added 1 hour after the addition of the antibiotic. Evidence is presented that the mechanism by which phenylalanine prevents inhibition by actinobolin differs from that which has been suggested for azaserine andp-fluorophenylalanine.