USE OF MODEL MICROORGANISM TO STUDY CYTOSTATICS-MEMBRANE INTERACTIONS

A strain of Bacillus stearothermophilus was used as a model system to elucidate the interaction of tamoxifen with the cell membrane. This dr ug inhibits bacterial growth in a concentration-dependent manner. The inhibition increases at suboptimal and supraoptimal temperatures and i s attenuated by the addition of Ca2+ to the growth medium. Opposed phy sical alterations on bacterial membranes were observed when tamoxifen was added to the growth medium (increase in structural order) or direc tly in liposome preparations (decrease in structural order).