Effect of isoniazid on the protoplasmic viscosity in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

The effect of isoniazid on the protoplasmic viscosity in the H37Ra strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis was determined by using electron spin resonance spectroscopy and a small spin label tempone (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidone-N-oxyl radical). Isoniazid (0.5 mug/ml) caused the internal cellular viscosity to increase gradually over the first 15 h of exposure from a rotational correlation time value (T(c)) of 2.4 x 10(-10) to 3.4 x 10(10) s and then decrease linearly to the control level after 27 h. These results could be interpreted to mean that isoniazid allows a continued and normal synthesis of the protoplasmic components while the rate of increase in the cell volume is reduced. A degradative process may begin after the initial 15-h exposure time, which would cause the reduction in the internal viscosity.