A new antibiotic, TH818, and its properties.

Antibiotic TH818 was isolated and purified from a culture broth of Streptomyces fulvoviolaceus 818 by extraction and reversed-phase liquid chromatography. The antibiotic TH818 possesses high molecular mass and unique structure, constructed from carbohydrates, amino acids and lipids. The hydrolysis experiments showed the presence of six fatty acids (hexadecanoic, hexadecenoic, octadecanoic, iso-nonadecanoic, docosanoic and pentacosanoic acids), four sugars (glucose, galactose, N -acetylglucosamine and N -acetylgalactosamine), and seven amino acids (threonine, alanine, glutamic acid, glycine, serine and two unidentified). TH818 has a broad spectrum of anti-microbial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, yeasts and fungi.

A novel thermostable neutral proteinase from Saccharomonospora canescens.

A novel thermostable neutral proteinase, called NPS, was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity from the culture broth of Saccharomonospora canescens sp. novus, strain 5. The molecular mass was determined by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to be 35,000 Da. The enzyme exhibits a sharp pH optimum of proteolytic activity at pH 6.7. NPS was completely inactivated with inhibitors, typical for metalloendopeptidases, EDTA and 1,10-phenantroline, whereas the serine proteinase inhibitor PMSF had no effect. Atomic absorption measurements showed that the proteinase binds a single zinc and four calcium ions. The enzyme thermostability was characterized in the absence and presence of added calcium. Melting temperature, Tm = 77 degrees C and an activation energy, Ea, for the thermal deactivation of the excited protein fluorophores of 72.13 kJ mol-1 were calculated in the presence of 100 mM CaCl2. The Ea-value is considerably higher than those obtained for a number of proteinases from microorganisms and was explained by the thermostable structure of the enzyme. Effective radiationless energy transfer from phenol groups to indole rings was observed. 68% of the light absorbed by tyrosyl residues is transferred to tryptophyl side chains. No homology was found after comparison of the NPS N-terminal sequence, including the first 26 residues, with those of other neutral proteinases from microorganisms. In contrast to the well-known bacterial neutral proteinase thermolysin and related enzymes from microorganisms, NPS possesses arylamidase and esterase activities. Further crystallographic studies will reveal the structural reasons for this specificity. Epoxy and epithio pyranosides are inhibitors of the proteinase arylamidase activity.

Amino-terminal oxygen-binding functional unit of the Rapana thomasiana grosse (gastropod) hemocyanin: carbohydrate content, monosaccharide composition and amino acid sequence studies.

The amino-terminal oxygen-binding unit Rta of the Rapana thomasiana hemocyanin is a glycoprotein with a carbohydrate content of 4.8% (w/w). Sugar analysis revealed as monosaccharide constituents xylose, fucose, 3-O-methylgalactose, mannose, galactose, N-acetylgalactosamine and N-acetylglucosamine residues. On subtracting the carbohydrate contribution from the molecular mass of 49,698 Da, determined by laser desorption mass spectrometry for Rta, an M(r) value of 47,318 Da was determined for the polypeptide part of the functional unit. The Rapana hemocyanin oxygen-binding unit Rta contains 400 residues in a single polypeptide chain. The nearly complete amino acid sequence (about 90%) is determined. This is the first report on a sequence of a marine gastropod oxygen-binding unit and also on a molluscan hemocyanin amino-terminal unit. Comparison of the Rta sequence with those of other molluscan hemocyanin units, localized in the C-terminus or in the middle of the respective multidomain polypeptide chains, revealed 42-46% homology (52-55%, including isofunctional residues). Probably, all molluscan oxygen-binding units evolved from a common ancestral gene.

Fatty acid composition of Streptomyces hygroscopicus strains producing antibiotics.

The fatty acid composition from mycelia of Streptomyces hygroscopicus strains was studied. A significant proportion of C18:2 was found in cultures. High levels of C16:0, iso-C18:0 and C18:1 were also detected in all S. hygroscopicus strains. The different representatives of S. hygroscopicus had almost the same proportion of unsaturated fatty acids. Certain shifts in the amount of iso, anteiso and straight-chain fatty acids in some cultures were revealed. This might be explained by the adaptation capability of strains belonging to one species to form a variety of available fatty acids determined by particular cell membrane composition favouring certain antibiotic biosynthesis.

Carbohydrate content and monosaccharide composition of Rapana thomasiana grosse (Gastropoda) hemocyanin and its structural subunits. Comparison with gastropodan hemocyanins.

The hemocyanin of Rapana thomasiana grosse (marine snail, gastropod) is a glycoprotein with a carbohydrate content of 8.9% (w/w) and monosaccharide constituents xylose, fucose, 3-O-methylgalactose, mannose, galactose, N-acetylgalactosamine and N-acetylglucosamine residues. The two structural subunits of this oxygen carrier, RHSS1 and RHSS2, are unevenly glycosylated. On subtracting the carbohydrate contribution from the M(r) values of 250 and 450 kDa attributed to the two subunits, values of 2.18 x 10(5) daltons and 4.30 x 10(5) daltons were calculated for the polypeptide part of the "light" and "heavy" subunits, respectively. Comparison of the monosaccharide compositions of gastropodan hemocyanins revealed qualitative similarities, as well as relationships between the quantities, of the individual monosaccharides: Man > or = 3MeGal > GlcNAc > or = GalNAc and Fuc > or = Xyl.

Isolation of a polysaccharide with antiviral effect from Ulva lactuca.

A polysaccharide from the green marine algae Ulva lactuca has been isolated. The substance has been investigated after acid hydrolysis by thin-layer and gas chromatography. The following carbohydrate components have been found: arabinose-xylose-rhamnose-galactose-mannose-glucose in ratio 1:1:9:5:2.5:16 respectively. One unidentified sugar has been demonstrated too. The polysaccharide has been studied for antiviral activity in vitro against a number of human and avian influenza viruses. A considerable inhibition of the viral reproduction was found. The effect was dose-dependent, strain-specific and selective.

Determination of ichthiomycin concentration by biological test with Cyprinus carpio L.

We have found out that one-year-old carps are extremely sensitive to ichthiomycin in concentrations between 25-125 micrograms/dm3. This fact permitted the use of biological methods for determination of ichthiomycin concentrations in cultural medium of Streptomyces levoris 1107 or crude preparations of the antibiotic.

Actinomycins as proteinase inhibitors.

A novel actinomycin (Act SG3) from a strain of Streptomyces galbus var. C-72, as well as actinomycin D (Act D) were found to act as competitive inhibitors of serine proteinases from microorganisms. The inhibitory properties of Act SG3 and Act D are compared with these of other peptide antibiotics, namely bacitracin A (Bac A) and gramicidin S (Gr S). The last compound has only a weak inhibitory effect. The following order of affinity for the four peptide antibiotics towards subtilisin DY and proteinase K was observed: Bac A > Act D > Act SG3 = Gr S. The affinity towards thermitase changes as follows: Act SG3 = Act D > Bac A > Gr S.

[Biological action of an unidentified factor from streptomycetes]. / Biologichno deistvie na neidentifitsiran faktor ot streptomitseti.

Studied were a total of 926 actinomycetic strains. In 285 of them (27.8 per cent) there was a capacity to synthesize growth factors which stimulated the production of fruit bodies of the mycelial fungus 2x. The culture liquid of two of the producent strains, 210-c and 192-B, was given as a supplement to the ordinary feed ration of albino mice. It was found that birth rate rose twice with the test groups. Histologically, a stimulant action was demonstrated with regard to ovogenesis in terms of the earlier maturation of follicles and formation of corpora lutea both in rats and in 4-5-month-old lambs.