Mode of action of deoxypheganomycin D on Mycobacterium smegmatis ATCC 607

Deoxypheganomycin D, a specific inhibitor of mycobacteria, inhibits the growth in vitro of Mycobacterium smegmatis ATCC 607 (M. 607) bacteriostatically at concentrations as high as 7 X 10(-5) M. It shows no cross-resistance to paromomycin, capreomycin, viomycin, streptothricin, kanamycin and streptomycin. Deoxypheganomycin D at 2.8 X 10(-7) M where the cell growth of M. 607 is only partially inhibited does not significantly inhibit DNA, RNA or protein synthesis but leads to marked decrease (13% of control) in [14C]glycerol-derived radioactivity in cell-walls. In the presence of 7 X 10(-6) M deoxypheganomycin D, the influx of leucine but not thymidine is affected while the reverse is true with efflux. The data suggest that the effect of deoxypheganomycin D on M. 607 may be related to both the cell membrane and specific mycobacterial lipid like components of the cell-wall.