Local anesthetics block transient expression of inducible functions for transformation in Streptococcus sanguis.
Procaine and tetracaine reversibly inhibit transformation by preventing the transient expression of competence-specific, inducible functions, which are usually triggered in response to cellular stimulation with competence protein. Affinity studies with 14C-labeled procaine showed that the anesthetic bound to cell surface macromolecules specifically in the initiation phases of competence-specific events and blocked transfer of information imparted by cellular membrane receptor(s) upon interaction with competence protein.
D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011343:Procaine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013298:Streptococcus sanguis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D013748:Tetracaine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014169:Transformation, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects*
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D013748:Tetracaine; D011343:Procaine