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Mechanisms of Action of Anticancer Antibiotics

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Developments in Industrial Microbiology

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Abstract

Perhaps at the beginningof this discussion we should give reasons why we are interested in knowing the mechanisms of action of these antibiotics. On the one hand we are interested for purely academic reasons, that is, to satisfy man’s inquisitive nature and to add to his storehouse of knowledge. This inquisitiveness leads us to ask such questions as the following:

  • Why is a material that is produced by one organism toxic to another organism?

  • Can these toxic effects be prevented or overcome?

  • Are the various toxic materials toxic for the same reason?

  • Why are some organisms not affected by these agents while other organisms are killed by them?

  • Why are some tissues or cells within an organism affected by the agents while other tissues and cells are not?

  • How do organisms become resistant to an initially toxic agent?

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Southern Research Institute, Birmingham, Alabama, USA

    Glynn P. Wheeler

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  1. Glynn P. Wheeler
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Wheeler, G.P. (1960). Mechanisms of Action of Anticancer Antibiotics. In: Developments in Industrial Microbiology. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-5073-4_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-5073-4_14

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4899-5075-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-5073-4

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