Tunicamycin is an antibiotic isolated from Streptomyces Iysosuperficus useful in glycoprotein research. This compound is noted to be active in vitro against gram-positive bacteria, fungi, yeasts, and viruses. It is an inhibitor of N-linked glycosylation and the formation of N-glycosidic protein-carbohydrate linkages. During protein glycosylation, tunicamycin is noted to inhibit the transfer of saccharide moieties to dolichol during dolichol-linked glycoprotein synthesis. Dose-dependent inhibition of DNA synthesis may be related to the alteration of glycoproteins, which thereby affects the transport of thymidine into cells. Additionally, tunicamycin has been reported to prevent cell cycle progression in primary cultures of rat glial cells, as well as inhibit lipid-mediated protein glycosylation in chick or mouse fibroblasts in a dose-dependent manner.

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