Medical Hypotheses
Volume 58, Issue 1 , Pages 34-46, January 2002

Streptomycin revisited: molecular action in the microbial cell

  • J.D. Kornder

      Affiliations

    • Correspondence to: James D. Kornder, Edgewood Animal Hospital, 420 Edgewood Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA, USA. Phone: +14045230561, 7702512644; Fax: +17705832555

Biology Department, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Received 21 February 2001; accepted 5 July 2001.

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.

No full text is available. To read the body of this article, please view the PDF online.

To access this article, please choose from the options below

Login to an existing account or Register a new account.

  • Purchase this article for 31.50 USD (You must login/register to purchase this article)

    Online access for 24 hours. The PDF version can be downloaded as your permanent record.

  • Subscribe to this title

    Get unlimited online access to this article and all other articles in this title 24/7 for one year.

  • Claim access now

    For current subscribers with Society Membership or Account Number.

  • Visit SciVerse ScienceDirect to see if you have access via your institution.
 

PII: S0306-9877(01)91450-1

doi:10.1054/mehy.2001.1450

Medical Hypotheses
Volume 58, Issue 1 , Pages 34-46, January 2002

Article Tools