NEUERE ERGEBNISSE ÜBER WIRKUNGSMECHANISMEN VON ANTIBIOTICA

Abstract

Discussion of recent results concerning the molecular mechanism of action of antibiotics, particularly of the rifamycins, leads to the following conclusions: (I) a molecular action of antibiotics as antimetabolites has been rigorously proven so far only in a very few cases; (II) the binding of an antibiotic to its site of action does not explain its molecular mode of inhibition; (III) an antibiotic may exhibit several modes of molecular action; (IV) in studies of the molecular mechanism of action of antibiotics unspecific hydrophobic interactions should not be disregarded; (V) one should avoid to explain biological effects of antibiotics observed in vivo at very low concentrations with molecular mechanisms of action determined in vitro at much higher concentrations.