title: Streptomycin revisited: molecular action in the microbial cell.
abstract: The key event for antimicrobial action begins when streptomycin binds to the 30S subunit (S12 protein) of a ribosome. Lysine 42 and lysine 87 are involved. It is proposed that antagonism of acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase by streptomycin results in faulty fatty acids, lipids and derivatives marked exclusively for cell membrane synthesis. Streptomycin-sensitive growing cells are fatally wounded when defective membranes leak K(+) ions, then amino acids, nucleotides, oligonucleotides and proteins as increasing amounts of streptomycin enter the cell.
authors.affiliation: Biology Department, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Kornder
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001710:Biotin / Q000737:chemistry; D010205:Pantothenic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D011485:Protein Binding; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D013307:Streptomycin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins; C034212:ribosomal protein S12; D010205:Pantothenic Acid; D001710:Biotin; D013307:Streptomycin