[Mechanism of action of the new antibiotic kirromycin]

The discovery and the elucidation of the mechanism of action of a new family of antibiotics is described. These antibiotics, here represented by kirromycin, all inhibit bacterial protein synthesis by acting on the protein elongation factor Tu, blocking its release from the ribosome during the elongation cycle and thereby inhibiting peptide bond formation. A number of these compounds have been successfully used as feed additives.