Summary
We studied the effect of 38 furan derivatives on the green micro-organism Euglena gracilis and on Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli, with the aim of finding the common molecular denominator responsible for bleaching of Euglena gracilis by furan derivatives. The results confirmed that the nitro-group in position 5 of the furan nucleus is essential to the bleaching activity of these derivatives. It was also found, however, that the substituent in position 2 of the furan nucleus was likewise important. Only 5-nitrofuran derivatives with a −CH=N−linkage in position 2 of the furan nucleus (Schiff bases) are active bleachers. Derivatives with a −CH=CH− linkage are weak bleachers and derivatives with a thiourea at this site have no bleaching activity at all. All 5-nitrofurans and some bromo- or iodo-furans were active against Bacillus subtilis, but not one of the tested derivatives was active against Escherichia coli.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Celmer, W. D.: Triacetyloleandomycin: Biochemical correlations. Antibiot. Ann. 1958–1959, 277–283.
Celmer, W. D., and L. Ebringer: Effects of certain O-acyl derivatives of oleandomycin and erythromycin on chloroplasts of Euglena gracilis. J. Protozool. (in press).
Ebringer, L.: Die Erythrocinwirkung auf die Flagellaten Euglena gracilis Klebs. Naturwissenschaften 48, 606–607 (1961).
—: Erythromycin- and streptomycin-like antibiotics as bleaching factors for Euglena gracilis. Naturwissenschaften 49, 334–335 (1962).
—: Bleaching of euglenas by antibiotics-specific form of antagonism in actinomycetes. Folia microbiol. (Praha) 9, 249–255 (1964).
—: Antibiotics and apochlorosis. I. Macrolide antibiotics — their common molecular structure responsible for bleaching of Euglena gracilis. Folia microbiol. (Praha) 11, 379–386 (1966).
—, A. Jurášek, and R. Kada: Antibiotics and apochlorosis III. The effects of 5-nitrofurans on chloroplast system of Euglena gracilis. Folia microbiol. (Praha) 12, 151–156 (1967b).
Ebringer, L., M. Mačor, A. Jurášek, R. Kada, and P. Krkoška: Hydroxylamine reversal of bleaching of Euglena gracilis. Science (1967c).
—, and H. Kupková: Antibiotics and apochlorosis II. Macromolecular synthesis and bleaching effect of streptomycin. Folia microbiol. (Praha) 12, 36–41 (1967a).
Freese, E.: Hereditary consequences of different DNA alterations. In: Margita Kohoutová and J. Hubáček (ed.): The physiology of gene and mutation expression, p. 17–27. Proceedings of a symposium held in Prague. Prague: Academia 1966.
McCalla, D. R.: Chloroplasts of Euglena gracilis affected by furadantin. Science 137, 225–226 (1962).
—: Effect of nitrofurans on the chloroplast system of Euglena gracilis. J. Protozool. 12, 34–41 (1965).
Pringsheim, E. G.: Lampropedia hyalina Schroeter, eine apochlorotische Merismopedia (Cyanophyceae). Arch. Mikrobiol. 55, 200–208 (1966).
Provasoli, L., S. H. Hutner, A. Schatz: Streptomycin-induced chlorophyllless races of Euglena. Proc. Soc. exp. Biol. (N.Y.) 69, 279–282 (1948).
Tessmann, I., R. K. Podar, and S. Kumar: Identification of the altered base in mutated single-stranded DNA. J. molec. Biol. 9, 352–363 (1964).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ebringer, L., Krkoška, R., Mačor, M. et al. Furan derivatives their common molecular denominator responsible for bleaching of Euglena gracilis . Archiv für Mikrobiologie 57, 61–67 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00405768
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00405768