Mode of Action of Chromomycin A₃ on a Mycobacterium

Abstract

Chromomycin A₃ (Toyomycin) is an anti-tumor antibiotic discovered by investigators^{1, 2, 3)} of the Takeda Chemical Industries. Only a little is known on the mode of action of this antibiotic. Ueda and Kawamata⁴⁾ stated at a meeting that this antibiotic may inhibit protein and nucleic acid syntheses in Bacillus subtilis, but the data are still not published. Sato et al.⁶⁾ reported that the antibiotic inhibited incorporation of ³²P into the DNA and RNA of sarcoma 180 ascitic tumor cells. Katsumata et al. ⁶⁾ reported that the antibiotic inhibited metabolism of alpha-ketoglutaric acid in B. aneurinolyticus.

The purpose of the present study is to observe the mode of action of this antibiotic by use of a Mycobacterium.