Spectinomycin Sulfate

Spectinomycin Sulfate is an aminocyclitol antibiotic that is isolated from Streptomyces spectabilis. Spectinomycin was discovered in culture broth by researchers at the Upjohn Company in 1961. Spectinomycin Sulfate shows activity against Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, and Mycoplasma.
Spectinomycin Sulfate is a protein synthesis inhibitor. It acts by inhibiting protein synthesis and elongation by binding to the bacterial 30S ribosomal subunit and interfering with peptidyl tRNA translocation. This eventually leads to bacterial cell death.
Spectinomycin is commonly used as a selective agent to isolate cells that contain aadA spectinomycin resistance genes. It also has various uses in plant biology applications.
Spectinomycin Sulfate is sparingly soluble in aqueous solution.

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Background

The aminocyclitol antibiotic Spectinomycin, often considered alongside the aminoglycosides, binds in reversible fashion (hence the bacteriostatic activity) to the 16S rRNA of the ribosomal 30S subunit. There it interrupts the translocation event that occurs as the next codon of mRNA is aligned with the A site in readiness for the incoming aminoacyl-tRNA. Structural studies reveal that the antibiotic binds to an area of the 30S subunit known as the head region which needs to move during translocation. Binding of the rigid Spectinomycin molecule appears to prevent the movement required for translocation.