Antagonism between novobiocin and coumermycin A1inBacillus subtilis

Abstract

SUMMARYWhen combinations of inhibitors acting on the subunit B of DNA gyrase were tested inBac.subtilisstrains, the growth-inhibiting effect of novobiocin was specifically antagonized by subinhibitory concentrations of coumermycin A1. An antagonism in the opposite direction was not observed.Two alternative models are proposed, where the supercoiling decrease caused by novobiocin is antagonized by coumermycin.This phenomenon seems to be characteristic of theBac.subtilisspecies.