Generation of Novel Fungicidal Activity by the Combined Actions of Hygromycin B and Polymyxin B

Abstract

Abstract-The aminoglycoside antibiotic hygromycin B (HgB) has been widely used in veterinary medicine and in cell culture selection. HgB kills bacteria, fungi, and higher eukaryotic cells by inhibiting protein synthesis. A marked synergistic relationship was observed between HgB and the bactericidal antibiotic polymyxin B (PMB) in their ability to cause cell death of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, but this was not observed when S. cerevisiae cells were treated with PMB and a different aminoglycoside selective for prokaryotic organisms. However, the combined lethal actions of HgB and PMB did not depend on the inhibition of 80S ribosomal protein synthesis, even if the ribosome-binding OH of HgB is similarly involved in its PMB-dependent fungicidal activity. Our findings could have implications for improving the use of HgB in veterinary medicine.

New trends in the use of aminoglycosides

“…The membrane-disrupting agent polymyxin B was found to work synergistically with HYG, enabling this latter to inhibit the growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells at a lower concentration than that expected from its own MIC value. 96 …”

“…The membrane-disrupting agent polymyxin B was found to work synergistically with HYG, enabling this latter to inhibit the growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells at a lower concentration than that expected from its own MIC value. 96 Fungal and oomycete infections are responsible for huge economic losses generated from plant diseases. Current strategies to control these infections include the direct application of chemical fungicides.…”