Nigericin is an antibiotic derived from Streptomyces hygroscopicus. Its isolation from soil from Nigeria was described in the 1950s, by R.L Harned (et. al),[1][2] and in 1968 the structure could be elucidated by X-ray crystallography.[3] The structure and properties of nigericin are similar to the antibiotic monensin. Commercially it is obtained as a byproduct, or contaminant, at the fermentation of geldanamycin. It is also called polyetherin A, azalomycin M, helixin C, antibiotic K178, and antibiotic X-464.

Nigericin acts as an H+, K+, Pb2+ ionophore. Most commonly it is an antiporter of H+ and K+.

In the past nigericin was used as an antibiotic active against gram positive bacteria. It inhibits the Golgi functions in Eukaryotic cells. Its ability to induce K+ efflux also makes it a potent activator of the NLRP3 inflammasome[4][5]

References

  1. ^ Harned, R. L.; Hidy, P. H.; Corum, C. J.; Jones, K. L. (December 1951). "Nigericin a new crystalline antibiotic from an unidentified Streptomyces". Antibiotics & Chemotherapy (Northfield, Ill.). 1 (9): 594–596. ISSN 0570-3123. PMID 24541690.
  2. ^ Graven SN, Estrada-O S, Lardy HA (1966). "Alkali metal cation release and respiratory inhibition induced by nigericin in rat liver mitochondria". Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 56 (2): 654–8. Bibcode:1966PNAS...56..654G. doi:10.1073/pnas.56.2.654. PMC 224422. PMID 5229984.
  3. ^ Steinrauf LK, Pinkerton M, Chamberlin JW (1968). "The structure of nigericin". Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 33 (1): 29–31. doi:10.1016/0006-291X(68)90249-0. PMID 5696503.
  4. ^ Mariathasan, S; Weiss, DS; Newton, K; McBride, J; O'Rourke, K; Roose-Girma, M; Lee, WP; Weinrauch, Y; Monack, DM; Dixit, VM (9 March 2006). "Cryopyrin activates the inflammasome in response to toxins and ATP". Nature. 440 (7081): 228–32. Bibcode:2006Natur.440..228M. doi:10.1038/nature04515. PMID 16407890.
  5. ^ Muñoz-Planillo, R; Kuffa, P; Martínez-Colón, G; Smith, BL; Rajendiran, TM; Núñez, G (27 June 2013). "K⁺ efflux is the common trigger of NLRP3 inflammasome activation by bacterial toxins and particulate matter". Immunity. 38 (6): 1142–53. doi:10.1016/j.immuni.2013.05.016. PMC 3730833. PMID 23809161.

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