Comparative effect of methioninyl adenylate on the growth of Salmonella typhimurium and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The bacteriostatic effect of methioninyl adenylate(MAMP)--a specific inhibitor of the enzyme methionyl-tRNA synthetase--was investigated on Salmonella typhimurium and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. 0.1 mM of this molecule added to the culture, inhibits the growth of S. typhimurium. The inhibition is specifically reversible by 0.1 mM L-methionine. In the same conditions even 1-2 mM MAMP has a very slight effect on the growth rate of P. aeruginosa and only during the first two generations. The same observation was made with the two other members of the fluorescens group P.fluorescens and P.putida. The growth rate of P. testosteroni with 1 mM MAMP in the medium is similar to the growth rate of P. aeruginosa but the other member of the acidovorans group P. acidovorans is much more affected by the smae concentration of the inhibitor. --P. multivorans is inhibited by MAMP like P. acidovorans but with a somewhat higher yield at the end of the culture. --MAMP has no effect on P. alcaligenes. The possible reasons for the weak bacteriostatic effect of MAMP on P. aeruginosa were investigated. It was established that the inhibitor enters the cells and is not used as a carbon and energy source. The intracellular methionine concentration in S. typhimurium and in P. aeruginosa is about the same and does not increase when bacteria are cultivated with MAMP. The MTS of the two microorganisms is inhibited by MAMP in vitro to about the same extent. Furthermore the tRNAmet from P. aeruginosa are fully acylated after 3 to 4 generations with this compound. Nevertheless MAMP elicits higher MTS activity in P. aeruginosa and in P. acidovorans after 1 h of incubation. The most striking difference between S. typhimurium and P. aeruginosa is that the intra and extracellular level of 5'phosphodiesterase which degrades MAMP is 10-20 fold higher in the second than in the first species.