Effect of KCN on the motility of Treponema pallidium.
Virulent Treponema pallidum has been shown to survive in KCN-containing artificial medium. Oxygen uptake being sensitive to cyanide, the observation indicates that treponemes do not have a cytochrome oxidase system. KCN had a killing effect only at a 15--30 mM final concentration. The data show that the Budapest strain of T. pallidum is an anaerobic organism.
D000818:Animals; D003486:Cyanides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000378:metabolism; D009068:Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D011190:Potassium Cyanide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011817:Rabbits; D014210:Treponema pallidum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
D003486:Cyanides; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV; D011190:Potassium Cyanide