title: A potent specific inhibitor of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase of Cryptococcus neoformans and of certain other fungal enzymes.
abstract: A particular lot of the zwitterionic buffer, 2(N-morpholino) ethane sulfonic acid (MES), contained a contaminant that inhibited a number of fungal NADP-dependent dehydrogenases. Enzymes that were particularly sensitive include 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenases from Cryptococcus neoformans and Schizophyllum commune and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase from Schizophyllum commune. A number of NADP-dependent dehydrogenases of animal origin were tested and all were completely insensitive to inhibition except for rat liver 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, which was 10-fold less sensitive than the Cryptococcal enzyme. The pattern of inhibition in all cases was linear competitive versus NADP. The inhibitor has been purified and identified as an ethylenesulfonic acid oligomer. This inhibitor holds promise as a model compound for the development of a specific antifungal agent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Anaerobic Microbiology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg.
authors.forename: W G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Niehaus
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Flynn
mesh_terms: D000249:Adenosine Monophosphate / Q000494:pharmacology; D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002645:Chickens; D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans / Q000201:enzymology*; D005030:Ethylenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005658:Fungi / Q000201:enzymology*; D009025:Morpholines / Q000494:pharmacology; D010734:Phosphogluconate Dehydrogenase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D051381:Rats; D013451:Sulfonic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids; D005030:Ethylenes; D009025:Morpholines; D013451:Sulfonic Acids; C004550:2-(N-morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid; D000249:Adenosine Monophosphate; D010734:Phosphogluconate Dehydrogenase; C085726:ethylenesulfonic acid