title: The effect of sinefungin and synthetic analogues on RNA and DNA methyltransferases from Streptomyces.
abstract: Sinefungin is an antibiotic structurally related to S-adenosylmethionine. It has been described as an inhibitor of RNA transmethylation reactions in viruses and eukaryotic organisms, but not in bacteria. We show here that sinefungin strongly inhibits RNA methyltransferase activity, but not the biosynthesis of these enzymes in Streptomyces. All the methylated bases found in Streptomyces RNA (1-methyladenine, N6-methyladenine, N6,N6-dimethyladenine and 7-methylguanine) are inhibited by this antibiotic. Experiments with sinefungin analogues show that specific changes in the ornithine radical of the molecule still preserve its inhibitory capability. The substitution of the adenine radical by uridine causes the loss of the inhibitory effect. These results and our former studies on Streptomyces DNA methylation, suggest that nucleic acid modification is the main target of sinefungin in Streptomyces.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología Funcional, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Oviedo, Spain.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Yebra
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sanchez
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hardisson
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barbes
mesh_terms: D000241:Adenosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D015254:DNA Modification Methylases / Q000187:drug effects*; D008745:Methylation; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000378:metabolism; D012343:RNA, Transfer / Q000378:metabolism; D013302:Streptomyces / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development; D012359:tRNA Methyltransferases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal; D004247:DNA; D012343:RNA, Transfer; D015254:DNA Modification Methylases; D012359:tRNA Methyltransferases; D000241:Adenosine; C006235:sinefungin