Production of a Diazotizable Substance by Escherichia coli during Sulfonamide Bacteriostasis

Abstract

Summary and Conclusions

During growth of Es. coli in synthetic medium with bacterio-static concentrations of sulfonamide, a diazo-tizable substance is produced. This is not p-aminobenzoic acid; in fact, its production is prevented by those amounts of PAB necessary to block the action of sulfonamides. The substance is not produced in the absence of sulfonamide nor when bacteriostasis does not occur.

During bacteriostasis by sulfonamides in this medium there is a change in the metabolism of Es. coli so that a metabolite with a diazotizable grouping similar to the therapeutically active group of the drug is produced. Experiments are in progress to determine whether the production of this substance is specifically elicited by the drug or whether it is a normal metabolite which accumulates when a sulfonamide interferes with the growth of the organisms.