Jimenez A, Tipper DJ, Davies J.Thiolutin, an inhibitor of
macromolecular synthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Mode of
action.
Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1973 Jun;3(6):729-38.
The sulfur-containing antibiotic thiolutin has been shown to
be a potent, reversible inhibitor of the growth of Saccharomyces
cerevisiae. Viability was unaffected over the concentration
range of 4 to 100 mug/ml. At concentrations as low as 2 mug/ml,
the drug inhibited ribonucleic acid (RNA) and protein synthesis
in whole cells and spheroplasts. At these low concentrations,
protein synthesis continued for a short period of time after RNA
synthesis was completely stopped. With higher drug
concentrations (greater than 20 mug/ml) protein synthesis was
inhibited; concentrations of thiolutin up to 100 mug/ml did not
affect translocation or peptide bond formation in cell-free
protein-synthesizing systems from yeast. The effect of thiolutin
on the activity of partially purified deoxyribonucleic
acid-dependent RNA polymerases was examined, and the drug was
found to be a potent inhibitor of RNA synthesis in vitro.
Inhibition was greatest when the polymerase was preincubated
with thiolutin. Several mechanisms are discussed to explain the
multiple effects of thiolutin on S. cerevisiae. Since the action
of the drug is easily reversed, thiolutin may prove to be of use
in studies of various stages of yeast growth.
PMID: 4597739
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