ABSTRACT
The carbazomycin-producing microorganism, strain H 1051-MY 10, was determined to a strain of Streptoverticillium ehimense. Biosynthesis of carbazomycin B was studied using 14C-labeled and 13C-enriched precursors in combination with 13C NMR spectroscopy. The C-2 carbon of [2-13C]trytophan was shown to be involved at the C-3 carbon in carbazomycin B and both carbons of [1,2-13C]acetate at the C-1 and C-10 moiety of the antibiotic. [CH3-13C]Methionine was involved at the methoxyl group but not at the methyl group on the C-2 carbon of the antibiotic. Neither of the labeled carbons, [1-14C]tryptophan nor [2,3-13C]propionic acid, was detected in the antibiotic, and a progenitor of the C-2 and C-11 moiety of the antibiotic has not been determined.
Subject(s)
Anti-Bacterial Agents/biosynthesis , Streptomycetaceae/classification , Carbazoles/biosynthesis , Streptomycetaceae/metabolismABSTRACT
An unidentified Streptomyces, designated as Strain H 1051-MY 10, was proved to produce viomycin and two new antibiotics. The new antibiotics were extracted from the cultured mycelia with acetone and transferred to ethyl acetate after acetone was removed in vacuo. The extracted antibiotics were separated into two components by alumina column chromatography and named carbazomycins A and B, because both antibiotics were proved to contain a carbazole nucleus. The molecular formulae of carbazomycins A and B were determined to be C16H17NO2 and C15H15NO2, respectively. Further, carbazomycin B was methylated with diazomethane to give carbazomycin A. Carbazomycins inhibited the growth of phytophathogenic fungi and further showed weak antibacterial and antiyeast activities.
Subject(s)
Anti-Bacterial Agents/biosynthesis , Animals , Anti-Bacterial Agents/isolation & purification , Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Bacteria/drug effects , Carbazoles/biosynthesis , Chemical Phenomena , Chemistry , Chemistry, Physical , Fermentation , Fungi/drug effects , Mice , Streptomyces/metabolismABSTRACT
The case of methylmercury pollution has demonstrated the profound importance of understanding biologically mediated transformation reactions that yield organometallic compounds with a high potential for bioaccumulation and toxicity. Toxic elements that form organometallic compounds, especially the metal-alkyls (e.g., methylmercury), deserve special concern. Most metal-alkyls are poisonous to the central nervous systems of higher organisms, and these compounds do accumulate in cells. Metal-alkyls that are stable in water, and that have been reported to be synthesized biologically, can be formed from the following toxic elements: Hg, Sn, As, Se, Te, Pd, Au, Tl and Pb. In this report we present details of the mechanisms for biological methylation of certain metals and metalloids with special emphasis on those elements that are widely dispersed in the biosphere. In addition we present preliminary results on the use of flourescence quenching techniques to determine cellular diffusion rates and partition coefficients for methylmercuric chloride.
