title: Mutacin II, a bactericidal antibiotic from Streptococcus mutans.
abstract: Mutacin II is an antibiotic that is produced by group II Streptococcus mutans. It inhibits the growth of other streptococci as well as many other gram-positive microorganisms by a hitherto unknown mechanism. Mutacin II possess bactericidal activity against susceptible cells. It transiently depolarizes the transmembrane electrical potential (delta psi) and the transmembrane pH gradient (delta pH) and partially inhibits amino acid transport. However, it rapidly depletes the intracellular ATP pool in glucose-energized cells and prevents the generation of ATP. It is concluded that mutacin II does not belong to the group of pore-forming antibiotics (type A) or to the type B antibiotics, which inhibit phospholipases or interfere with peptidoglycan biosynthesis. Mutacin II acts by inhibiting essential enzyme functions at the level of metabolic energy generation, an activity that has not yet been classified for antibiotics.
authors.affiliation: Unilever Dental Research, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Chikindas
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Novák
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Driessen
authors.forename: W N
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Konings
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Schilling
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Caufield
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D001430:Bacteriocins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D011714:Pyrans / Q000494:pharmacology; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000378:metabolism*; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D001430:Bacteriocins; D011714:Pyrans; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; C098321:cocolactobionamide; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; C069066:mutacin II; D005947:Glucose