Application

Tunicamycin has been used to study the effect of N-linked glycosylation of human proton-coupled folate transporter (HsPCFT) in HeLa cells. Tunicamycin has also been used to study the functional effects of coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor (CAR) glycosylation in COS-7 cells.

Biochem/physiol Actions

Antibacterial and antifungal. Blocks the formation of protein N-glycosidic linkages by inhibiting the transfer of N-acetylglucosamine 1-phosphate to dolichol monophosphate. Inhibits bacterial and eukaryote N-acetylglucosamine transferases and prevents formation of N-acetylglucosamine lipid intermediates.

General description

Contains homologues A,B,C, and D. Composition may vary from lot to lot. Actual content given on label.

Chemical structure: nucleoside

Packaging

1, 5, 10, 50 mg in glass bottle

Preparation Note

Tunicamycin dissolves in DMSO at 4.9-5.1 mg/ml and yields a clear to very slightly hazy, colorless to yellow solution. Furthermore, tunicamycin is soluble in DMF (>10 mg/ml), pyridine (>10 mg/ml), water (﹤5 mg/ml, pH 9.0), dioxane (﹤1 mg/ml) and THF. However, it is insoluble in other organic solvents such as acetone, chloroform, and ethyl acetate, and in aqueous solutions with pH ﹤6. Aqueous solutions can be prepared from stock solutions by diluting with water at pH 8-10 or with buffers with pH >7, preferably >8. Tunicamycin will not dissolve in phosphate buffer, pH 8, at 1 mg/ml, even with heating, but solubility can be achieved by raising the pH to 9 and back titrating to pH 7-8.