A new type of inactivation of streptomycin by E. coli.
Previously described cases of streptomycin inactivation by R-factor carrying strains of E. coli have not lead to any measurable decrease in antimicrobial potency in the bulk substrate toward the culture. In these cases each cell inactivates only a few molecules. Out of 1,800 strains of E. coli we have isolated five strains which inactivate streptomycin in large amounts giving a final concentration of the inactivation product of 0.25 mg/ml in 36 hours. Unlike all other streptomycin-resistant strains in investigated these five strains were sensitive to butyl-streptomycylamine, a streptomycin derivative acting in the same way as streptomycin. The crude inactivation product has been isolated. Inorganic phosphate is liberated by treatment with alkaline phosphatase resulting in a streptomycin-like compound without any antimicrobial activity.
D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000187:drug effects; D001681:Biological Assay; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D006868:Hydrolysis; D013307:Streptomycin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors
D013307:Streptomycin