Mode of action of the copper(I) complex of 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline on Mycoplasma gallisepticum.

Various physiological important activities of Mycoplasma gallisepticum were inhibited by the copper(I) complex of 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline [Cu(DMP)2NO3]. The energy-yielding metabolism was inhibited because the conversion of pyruvate into lactate was found to be blocked by Cu(DMP)2NO3, indicating a selective inhibition of lactate dehydrogenase. Also, the production rate of acetate and the rate of oxygen uptake by whole cells of M. gallisepticum appeared to be strongly decreased. Experiments with crude cell extracts showed an inhibition of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) oxidase by Cu(DMP)2NO3 and an even stronger inhibition of NADH oxidase and lactate dehydrogenase by CuSO4. No preferential inhibition of adenosine 5'-triphosphatase and pyruvate kinase was found. Investigations on the influence of Cu(DMP)2NO3 on deoxyribonucleic acid, ribonucleic acid, and protein synthesis with growing cells of M. gallisepticum showed a selective inhibition of the incorporation of [14C]thymidine into deoxyribonucleic acid. Cu(DMP)2NO3 induced a decrease in the total amount of accessible sulfhydryl groups of whole cells of M. gallisepticum, indicating that the observed diverse toxicity of Cu(DMP)2NO3 may be associated with the interaction of copper ions with protein sulfhydryl groups.