Antibiotic tetaine--a selective inhibitor of chitin and mannoprotein biosynthesis in Candida albicans.
Arch Microbiol 1986;
145:234-40. [PMID:
3532988 DOI:
10.1007/bf00443651]
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Abstract
The antibiotic tetaine inhibits in Candida albicans the biosynthesis of two important cell wall constituents, chitin and mannoprotein. This effect is a consequence of inactivation of the enzyme glucosamine-6-phosphate synthetase. Due to the lack of glucosamine-6-phosphate the effective secretion of mannoprotein enzymes, acid phosphatase and invertase, by Candida albicans spheroplasts is inhibited. In the presence of tetaine, probably a modified mannoprotein, lacking a branched polymannan, is synthesized. The antibiotic action decreases the viability of Candida albicans cells, especially that of mycelial forms of this fungus.
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