Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 29, 2026

Multiplex Therapeutic Drug Monitoring by Isotope-dilution HPLC-MS/MS of Antibiotics in Critical Illnesses
11:17

Multiplex Therapeutic Drug Monitoring by Isotope-dilution HPLC-MS/MS of Antibiotics in Critical Illnesses

Published on: August 30, 2018

STREPTOMYCINOID ANTIBIOTICS: SYNERGISM BY PUROMYCIN

J R WHITE, H L WHITE

    Science (New York, N.Y.)
    |November 6, 1964
    PubMed

    Insights

    Puromycin enhances the lethal effects of streptomycin antibiotics by exposing a sensitive site on the 30S ribosome. This allows streptomycin to bind more effectively, halting protein synthesis.

    Area of Science:

    • Molecular Biology
    • Microbiology
    • Antibiotic Resistance

    Background:

    • Streptomycin and related antibiotics are crucial for combating bacterial infections.
    • The precise mechanism by which these antibiotics exert their lethal effects is still under investigation.
    • Puromycin is an antibiotic that prematurely terminates protein synthesis.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the synergistic interaction between puromycin and streptomycin antibiotics.
    • To elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying this observed synergy.
    • To understand how puromycin affects the ribosome's interaction with streptomycin.

    Main Methods:

    • Utilizing bacterial ribosome assays.
    • Observing the effects of combined antibiotic treatment on protein synthesis.
    • Analyzing the binding affinity of streptomycin to ribosomes in the presence of puromycin.

    Main Results:

    • Puromycin significantly potentiates the lethal action of streptomycin.
    • Puromycin treatment appears to expose or create a binding site on the 30S ribosomal subunit.
    • This modification facilitates enhanced association of streptomycin with the ribosome.

    Conclusions:

    • Puromycin's action on the 30S ribosome is key to its synergistic effect with streptomycin.
    • This synergy involves increased streptomycin binding to the ribosome, leading to inhibition of protein synthesis.
    • Understanding this interaction could inform the development of new antibiotic strategies.
    Keywords:
    ANTIBIOTICSCHLORAMPHENICOLESCHERICHIA COLIEXPERIMENTAL LAB STUDYKANAMYCINNEOMYCINPAROMOMYCINPHARMACOLOGYPUROMYCINRIBOSOMESSTREPTOMYCINVIOMYCIN

    More Related Videos

    Potentiation of Anticancer Antibody Efficacy by Antineoplastic Drugs: Detection of Antibody-drug Synergism Using the Combination Index Equation15:04

    Potentiation of Anticancer Antibody Efficacy by Antineoplastic Drugs: Detection of Antibody-drug Synergism Using the Combination Index Equation

    Published on: January 19, 2019

    Antimicrobial Synergy Testing by the Inkjet Printer-assisted Automated Checkerboard Array and the Manual Time-kill Method12:03

    Antimicrobial Synergy Testing by the Inkjet Printer-assisted Automated Checkerboard Array and the Manual Time-kill Method

    Published on: April 18, 2019

    Related Concept Videos

    Combined Effects of Drugs: Synergism01:27

    Combined Effects of Drugs: Synergism

    Synergism is a useful mechanism where combining two or more drugs is more effective than each constituent used alone. Such combinations are also called supra-additive interactions. The drugs collectively enhance the final therapeutic effect by acting on different targets. Another advantage is that the low dose of each constituent drug is sufficient to achieve the desired effect. This helps reduce the duration of therapy and lower the adverse effects of these drugs.
    Such synergistic combinations...
    Antimicrobial Proteins01:23

    Antimicrobial Proteins

    Antimicrobial proteins are important components of the immune system. They aid the body in combating pathogens by either killing them directly or hindering their replication processes. Four main types of antimicrobial substances are interferons, the complement system, iron-binding proteins, and antimicrobial proteins.
    Interferons
    Interferons (IFNs) are proteins produced by lymphocytes, macrophages, and fibroblasts infected with viruses. While IFNs cannot prevent viruses from entering and...
    Pneumonia IV: Management01:28

    Pneumonia IV: Management

    The treatment of pneumonia varies based on its severity and the causative pathogen. Here is a structured approach to managing pneumonia, integrating pharmaceutical and supportive care strategies.
    Bacterial Pneumonia Treatment
    For bacterial pneumonia, antibiotics serve as the cornerstone of therapy. Initial treatment often begins with empirical antibiotics, tailored to the anticipated causative organism and adjusted based on culture results. Key antibiotic choices include:
    Antimicrobial Effectiveness01:28

    Antimicrobial Effectiveness

    The effectiveness of antimicrobial agents depends on various factors influencing their ability to eliminate microbial populations. Larger microbial populations require more time for complete eradication, emphasizing the importance of population size analysis when evaluating antimicrobial efficacy.Microbial resistance to antimicrobial agents varies significantly. Highly resilient microorganisms include endospores, gram-negative bacteria, and non-enveloped viruses, while prions are exceptionally...
    Microbial Interactions: Cooperation01:26

    Microbial Interactions: Cooperation

    Microbial cooperation involves beneficial interactions in which different species work together for individual or mutual advantage. These interactions can profoundly influence ecological dynamics and evolutionary processes, and they are essential to many pathogenic and symbiotic relationships.Nematode–Bacteria CooperationA striking example is the relationship between the Gram-negative bacterium Xenorhabdus nematophila and the parasitic nematode Steinernema carpocapsae. Juvenile nematodes...
    Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance01:25

    Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance

    Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) presents a critical public health threat, arising from its capacity to resist β-lactam antibiotics due to acquisition of the mecA gene within the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). This gene encodes penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a), which impairs binding efficacy of methicillin and other β-lactams. MRSA has evolved into distinct clonal lineages impacting humans and animals alike, reinforcing its significance within the One...