Antibacterial activity of 2'-esters of erythromycin.
The effect of esterification at the 2'-position of desosamine on the antibacterial activity of erythromycin was investigated by determining the bacteriostatic and bactericidal activities of erythromycin and a number of its 2'-esters on S. aureus and relating these activities to the hydrolysis rates of the esters. These studies, together with comparison of the inhibition of protein synthesis in a cell-free system isolated from S. aureus, lead to the conclusion that 2'-esters of erythromycin are inactive until hydrolyzed. Loss of activity appears to result from inability of erythromycin esters to bind to bacterial ribosomes and thus inhibit synthesis of protein.
D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D002474:Cell-Free System; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004952:Esters; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000378:metabolism; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D004952:Esters; D004917:Erythromycin