title: Antimicrobials that affect the synthesis and conformation of nucleic acids.
abstract: Several antimicrobials act by inhibiting the synthesis of nucleic acids (rifamycins, sulfamides, diaminopyridines), modifying their conformation (quinolones, coumarins) or causing irreversible lesions (nitroimidazoles, nitrofurans). The resistance mechanisms are: a reduction in intracytoplasmic accumulation, modification of the target or the production of a new low-affinity target and, more rarely, enzyme inactivation. Although the mechanisms affecting the targets are specific to each family and can lead to high-level resistance, the reduced permeability of the membrane and the increased efflux are non-specific and result in low-level cross-resistance between several families. The genetic mediation is usually chromosomal for rifamycins and quinolones, although plasmid-mediated resistant genes have been observed. On the other hand, for sulfamides and trimethoprim, plasmid-borne genes are frequent. Resistance to nitroimidazoles and nitrofurans is still not widely understood.
authors: Université Paris Diderot, EA 3964 (Emergence de la résistance bactérienne), UFR de Médecine, site Xavier Bichat, 16 rue Henri-Huchard, P.O. Box 419, 75870 Paris Cedex 18, France.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Cambau
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Guillard
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003374:Coumarins / Q000494:pharmacology; D004261:DNA Replication / Q000187:drug effects; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects; D009581:Nitrofurans / Q000494:pharmacology; D009593:Nitroimidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation / Q000187:drug effects*; D009696:Nucleic Acids / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D015363:Quinolones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D012294:Rifamycins / Q000494:pharmacology; D013424:Sulfanilamides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D003374:Coumarins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D009581:Nitrofurans; D009593:Nitroimidazoles; D009696:Nucleic Acids; D011743:Pyrimidines; D015363:Quinolones; D012294:Rifamycins; D013424:Sulfanilamides; C052587:4-nitroimidazole