This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Tanaka, N Articles by Nishimura, T Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Tanaka, N Articles by Nishimura, T

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1983 November; 24(5): 797-802

Mechanism of action of habekacin, a novel amino acid-containing aminoglycoside antibiotic.

ABSTRACT

The molecular basis for activity of habekacin was studied by using Escherichia coli Q-13. Electron microscopic studies revealed that numerous blebs, derived from the outer membrane, were formed on cells treated with habekacin. Cytoplasmic contents leaked into the lumina of blebs, and the membrane of some enlarged blebs was disrupted. In a cell-free system, habekacin interfered with polypeptide synthesis, caused codon misreading, and inhibited translocation of N-acetylphenylalanyl-tRNA from the acceptor site to the donor site on ribosomes. [3H]habekacin bound to both 50S and 30S ribosomal subunits. The current experiments indicated that the mechanism of action of habekacin is similar to that of 2-deoxystreptamine-containing aminoglycoside antibiotics such as dibekacin, kanamycin, gentamicin, and related substances. The relationship of membrane damage to inhibition of ribosomal functions remains to be determined.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Mingeot-Leclercq, M.-P., Glupczynski, Y., Tulkens, P. M. (1999). Aminoglycosides: Activity and Resistance. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 43: 727-737 [Full Text]