Mechanism of Action of Rifampin on Mycobacterium smegmatis
- 1 November 1971
- journal article
- Published by American Society for Microbiology in Journal of Bacteriology
- Vol. 108 (2) , 737-41
- https://doi.org/10.1128/jb.108.2.737-741.1971
Abstract
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-dependent ribonucleic acid (RNA) polymerase (EC 2.7.7.6) isolated from a rifampin-sensitive strain of Mycobacterium smegmatis was 90% inhibited by 1 μg of rifampin per ml; enzyme from a rifampin-resistant mutant was not affected by this concentration of antibiotic. Inhibition of phenylalanine- 1 - 14 C incorporation by rifampin in growing cultures was complete about 6 min after addition of antibiotic. Under the same conditions, uracil- 2 - 14 c incorporated was blocked after 1.5 to 2 min. Rifampin kills M. smegmatis very slowly. When rifampin-inhibited cultures were transferred to a rifampin-free medium, there was a partial resumption of uracil- 2 - 14 C incorporation, even in the presence of chloramphenicol. We conclude that a primary event in the inhibition of M. smegmatis by rifampin is the block of DNA-dependent RNA polymerase.Keywords
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