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PMID: 122527 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Effect of benzylpenicillin on the synthesis and structure of the cell envelope of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy ·Vol. 13 ·No. 3 ·1978-03-00 ·Pages 514-26

Goodell EW, Fazio M, Tomasz A

Abstract

The effect of benzylpenicillin on the synthesis and morphology of the cell envelope of Neisseria gonorrhoeae was examined. Penicillin immediately stopped murein synthesis; it also enhanced the rate of turnover of glucosamine, but not diaminopimelic acid, in the murein. In addition, penicillin greatly increased the shedding of lipid and lipopolysaccharide into the medium. In the electron microscope, protrusions of the cell membrane were evident, as well as apparent holes in the murein cell wall. All of these changes occurred while active synthesis was taking place, before the lysis of the cells. Lysis could be prevented by growing the cells at low pH and high concentrations of Mg2+; however, the effects of penicillin on murein synthesis and turnover and on the release of lipid were not affected.

MeSH Terms
Cell Membrane/drug effects,metabolism,ultrastructure Diaminopimelic Acid/metabolism Glucosamine/metabolism Lipopolysaccharides/metabolism Membrane Lipids/metabolism Microscopy, Electron Neisseria gonorrhoeae/drug effects,metabolism,ultrastructure Penicillin G/pharmacology Peptidoglycan/biosynthesis
Chemicals
Lipopolysaccharides Membrane Lipids Peptidoglycan Diaminopimelic Acid Glucosamine Penicillin G
Authors & Affiliations
3 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Goodell E W
Fazio M
Tomasz A
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37 references, click to expand
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Article Info
Journal
Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy
Abbr.
Antimicrob Agents Chemother
ISSN
0066-4804
DOI
10.1128/AAC.13.3.514
Published
1978-03-00
Pages
514-26
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
0315061
PMCID
PMC352274
Subset
IM
Grants
NIAID NIH HHS · AI 00465 · United States
NIAID NIH HHS · AI 12932 · United States
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1128/AAC.13.3.514 PMC Full Text View journal details
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