A study of the action of a bisquaternary ammonium salt, an amine oxide and an alkoxy phenylcarbamic acid ester on some metabolic functions in Staphylococcus aureus.

Aspects of the mode of action of three antibacterial agents, N,N'-bis (dodecyldimethyl)-1,2-ethane diammonium dibromide (BDED), 2-piperidinoethyl-4-heptyloxyphenylcarbamate hydrochloride (XXI) and 1-dodecylpiperidine N-oxide (DPNO) against Staphylococcus aureus have been examined. Their ability to modify respiration, proton translocation, potassium leakage and ATP synthesis are reported. In all cases there was a striking correspondence between the minimum inhibitory concentration and the dose level which completely prevented ATP synthesis. It is suggested that for these three chemically distinct molecules, bacteriostasis can be equated to a loss of the cell's ability to synthesize ATP, which, in turn, may stem from an uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation.