Calcium-dependent anticandidal action of pradimicin A.

Pradimicin A shows candicidal activity at 10 micrograms/ml in vitro. The action of pradimicin A on Candida albicans cells involves a set of specific cell surface interactions in a Ca2(+)-dependent manner. These include binding to the mannan components on the cell surface and subsequent interactions at the level of the plasma membrane, causing K+ leakage and cell death. The protoplasts prepared from C. albicans undergo lysis rapidly when treated with pradimicin A. These results suggest that pradimicin A acts primarily on the candidal plasma membrane, leading to a perturbation of membrane function.