Ionophorous Antibiotics


Nonactin

metal ion gets trapped in cavity (coordinated to eight ethereal O-atoms)
transports potassium ions out of the bacterial cell, which causes the bacterium to die



Monensin

molecule ‘raps around” a metal ion (four ether O-atoms and two hydroxy O-atoms)
transports sodium ions out of the cell and disrupt the process of cellular respiration