Nucleic acids bacterial synthesis inhibitors

Chemotherapeutic agents which selectively affect the synthesis of DNA and/or RNA in bacterial cells can block the growth of these organisms, leading to rapid death. The quinolones and the rifamycin derivatives ate nucleic acid s)mthesis inhibitors which are selectively active against prokaryotes. 

T There are several distinct types of inhibitors of nucleotide biosynthesis, each type acting at different points in the pathways to purine or pyrimidine nucleotides. All these inhibitors are very toxic to cells, especially rapidly growing cells, such as those of tumors or bacteria, because interruption of the supply of nucleotides seriously limits the cell s capacity to synthesize the nucleic acids necessary for protein synthesis and cell replication. In some cases, the toxic effect of such inhibitors makes them useful in cancer chemotherapy or in the treatment of bacterial infections. However, some of these agents can also damage the rapidly replicating cells of the intestinal tract and bone marrow. This danger imposes limits on the doses that can be used safely. 

Bacterial infections are treated with antibiotics. There are many antibiotics available, but they fall into three major groups based on their mode of action inhibitors of bacterial nucleic acid synthesis inhibitors of cell wall synthesis and inhibition of bacterial protein synthesis. Resistance of bacteria to commonly-used antibiotics has become a major problem necessitating the development of new antibiotics. Tuberculosis infection is difficult to treat and requires a combination of at least three different antibiotics. 

Fluoroquinolones inhibit bacterial topoisomerases II and IV Streptogramins are recently introduced inhibitors of bacterial nucleic acid synthesis Vancomycin inhibits the synthesis of precursors of the linear peptidoglycan chains of the bacterial cell wall... 

Reviews - Relevant reviews have appeared in the last few years on the subject dealing specifically with the mechanism of action of different antimicrobial drugs and antibiotics inhibitors of the bacterial ribosome i inhibitors of protein and nucleic acid synthesis and inhibitors as tools in cell research. ... 

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