Prodigiosin 25-C perturbs permeation of acetate in a cultured cell line

Prodigiosin 25-C had little effect on DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis, and cellular ATP content, but the drug markedly inhibited the incorporation of acetate into lipid fractions. Under the same conditions, the incorporation of other lipid precursors including glycerol, mevalonate, palmitate, and oleate was not affected. A decrease in the incorporation of acetate was not due to the inhibition of fatty acid biosynthesis, because prodigiosin 25-C did not affect the activity of acetyl-CoA synthetase, acetyl-CoA carboxylase or fatty acid synthase in cell-free assay systems prepared from rat liver cytosol. In contrast, prodigiosin 25-C strongly inhibited the rapid uptake of acetate into acid-soluble fraction in intact cells. The results suggest that prodigiosin 25-C specifically perturbs the permeation of acetate through plasma membranes.