Mupirocin

Mupirocin is a topical antibiotic that inhibits bacterial protein synthesis by blocking isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase. It treats certain skin infections and is used to eliminate nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus.

Isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase: An enzyme that attaches isoleucine to its transfer RNA during protein synthesis. Mupirocin binds this enzyme and prevents bacteria from producing charged isoleucyl-tRNA.
Impetigo: A contagious bacterial skin infection that causes superficial sores and often golden crusts. Topical mupirocin is used for limited cases of impetigo.
Fusidic acid: A topical antibiotic that inhibits bacterial protein synthesis by targeting elongation factor G. It also treats some skin infections but acts at a different stage of translation.
Antimicrobial resistance: The ability of microorganisms to survive exposure to drugs that would normally inhibit or kill them. Mupirocin resistance is one instance of this broader clinical problem.
Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase: An enzyme family that attaches specific amino acids to their matching transfer RNAs. Mupirocin selectively targets one member of this enzyme family.
Nasal decolonization: Treatment intended to eliminate pathogenic bacteria carried in the nose without causing symptoms. Intranasal mupirocin can reduce Staphylococcus aureus carriage.
Retapamulin: A topical pleuromutilin antibiotic that inhibits bacterial protein synthesis at the ribosome. It is another topical option for certain superficial bacterial skin infections.
Plasmid: A DNA molecule that replicates separately from a cell's chromosome and can carry accessory genes. Some high-level mupirocin resistance genes are carried on plasmids.
Transfer RNA: An RNA molecule that carries an amino acid to a ribosome during protein synthesis. Blocking the charging of isoleucine's transfer RNA disrupts bacterial translation.
Staphylococcus aureus: A bacterium that can colonize skin and the nose or cause infections ranging from minor to severe. Mupirocin is used against susceptible strains in skin infections and nasal carriage.

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Neomycin/polymyxin B/bacitracinCompared with: It is a prescription alternative for certain localized bacterial skin infections.