On the Mode of Action of 11-deoxycorticosterone on the Metabolism of Trichophyton rubrum

Abstract

The mechanism by which 11-deoxycorticosterone (DOC) inhibits the growth of Trichophyton rubrum was studied by examining the effects of this steroid upon metabolism by the intact mycelium. This compound inhibited the rate of endogenous respiration and the rate of uptake of glucose from the medium, but no evidence was found for the release of intracellular components from the mycelium. Incubation of mycelium in the presence of [14C]-glucose resulted in the incorporation of [14C] into 37 components within 3 min. in aqueous ethanol extracts of mycelium, although 98% of the [14C] in these extracts was contained in fructose, alanine, phosphorylated compounds and an unidentified compound. Incubation in the presence of 11-deoxycorticosterone resulted in a marked change in distribution, with decrease of the labelling of the phosphorylated compounds and fructose and increases in the labelling of the alanine and unidentified component. The results show considerable similarity to the effects of agents such as 2,4-dinitrophenol on yeast metabolism and suggest that the uncoupling of phosphorylation from oxidation may be one result of the action of 11-deoxycorticosterone on T. rubrum.