Microbial degradation of erythromycins A and B.
Growing cultures, as well as broken and lyophilized cells of pseudomonas 56 were found to degrade erythromycin A, and lyophilized cells inactivated erythromycins A and B. The enzyme system involved in this degradation was constitutive and the enzyme level in the cells could be increased about 8-fold when oleandomycin or erythromycin B was added to the growth medium. The ability of whole or broken cells to inactivate erythromycin A was completely lost when these preparations were boiled, and the erythromycin A-inactivating activity was localized in the cell membrane fraction. The lyophilized cells did not degrade oleandomycin, methymycin, tylosin, a mixture of leucomycins, josamycin, or maridomycin III.
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D001681:Biological Assay; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D005612:Freeze Drying; D011549:Pseudomonas / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D012505:Sarcina / Q000187:drug effects; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000187:drug effects
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004917:Erythromycin