Inhibition of Vitamin K 2 and Carotenoid Synthesis in Staphylococcus aureus by Diphenylamine

Abstract

Diphenylamine at concentrations which did not effect the growth rate inhibited the synthesis of vitamin K 2 in both anaerobic and aerobic cultures by about 50%. At this concentration, diphenylamine inhibited the synthesis of the cyclic carotenoids δ-carotene and the rubixanthins 25 to 35% anaerobically and 60 to 90% aerobically. The inhibition of synthesis of cyclic carotenoids and vitamin K 2 by diphenylamine had no detectable effect on the formation of the membrane-bound electron transport system.