J. Bacteriol., 04 1996, 2455-2458, Vol 178, No. 8
Copyright © 1996, American Society for Microbiology

Quinine specifically inhibits the proteolipid subunit of the F0F1 H+ - ATPase of Streptococcus pneumoniae

R Munoz, E Garcia and AG De la Campa
Centro Nacional de Biologia Celular y Retrovirus, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Spain.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is uniquely sensitive to quinine and its derivatives, but only those alkaloids having antimalarial properties, i.e., those in the erythro configuration, also possess antipneumococcal activity. Quinine and related compounds inhibit the pneumococcal H+ - ATPase. Quinine- and optochin-resistant pneumococci showed mutations that change amino acid residues located in one of the two transmembrane alpha-helices of the c subunit of the F0F1, H+ -ATPase.

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