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Whole-cell hydrolysates were prepared from 58 strains of nocardiae and streptomycetes. Strains morphologically intermediate between the two genera and morphological variants of the same strains were included. Paper chromatograms made from the whole-cell hydrolysates clearly demonstrated meso-diaminopimelic acid as a major constituent of cultures of Nocardia spp., and LL-diaminopimelic acid as a major constituent of cultures of Streptomyces spp. In cultures of ten strains of N. madurae and of three of N. pelletieri, meso-diaminopimelic acid predominated, thereby supporting the assignment of these species to the genus Nocardia.

1. Peptides that inhibit the dd-carboxypeptidases from Streptomyces strains albus G and R61 were synthesized. They are close analogues of the substrates of these enzymes. The enzymes from albus G and R61 strains are in general inhibited by the same peptides, but the enzyme from strain R39 differs considerably. 2. The two C-terminal residues of the peptide substrates and inhibitors appear to be mainly responsible for the initial binding of the substrate to the enzymes from albus G and R61 strains. The side chain in the third residue from the C-terminus seems critical in inducing catalytic activity. 3. Experimental evidence is presented suggesting that the amide bond linking the two C-terminal residues has a cis configuration when bound to the enzymes from strains albus G and R61. 4. The peptide inhibitors are not antibiotics against the same micro-organisms.

The ability of the water-soluble dd-carboxypeptidases of Streptomyces strains albus G, R61, K11 and R39 to perform transpeptidation was studied. The donor was diacetyl-l-lysyl-d-alanyl-d-alanine, and a whole range of amino acids, peptides and structurally related amino compounds were tested for acceptor function. No compound tested was an acceptor for the enzyme from strain albus G whereas the enzymes from strains R61 and K11 could utilize with varying efficiency a wide range of substances including peptides with N-terminal glycine or d-alanine, omega-amino acids, aminohexuronic acids, 6-aminopenicillanic acid and d-cycloserine. Certain peptides, when present in higher concentration, inhibited the transpeptidation observed at lower concentration. The enzyme from strain R39 would not use any dipeptide as an acceptor, but a few compounds that were not glycine or alpha-amino acids of the d-configuration did function thus. These were d-cycloserine and the lactams of meso- or racemic-diaminoadipic acid.

The cellulases of Streptomyces thermodiastaticus (strain 2Sts) and thermomonospora fusca (strain 190Th) were produced with carboxymethyl-cellulose (CMC) serving as the carbon source during growth. Both cellulases act by random internal hydrolysis of the CMC chain, producing cellobiose, glucose, and intermediate length oligosaccharides. Cellobiase was not detected in culture filtrates produced under these conditions.

Benzylpenicillin and cephaloridine reacted with the exocellular dd-carboxypeptidase-transpeptidase from Streptomyces R39 to form equimolar and inactive antibiotic-enzyme complexes. At saturation, the molar ratio of chromogenic cephalosporin 87-312 to enzyme was 1.3:1, but this discrepancy might be due to a lack of accuracy in the measurement of the antibiotic. Spectrophotometric studies showed that binding of cephaloridine and cephalosporin 87-312 to the enzyme caused opening of their beta-lactam rings. Benzylpenicillin and cephalosporin 87-312 competed for the same site on the free enzyme, suggesting that binding of benzylpenicillin also resulted in the opening of its beta-lactam ring. In Tris-NaCl-MgCl(2) buffer at pH7.7 and 37 degrees C, the rate constants for the dissociation of the antibiotic-enzyme complexes were 2.8x10(-6), 1.5x10(-6) and 0.63x10(-6)s(-1) (half-lives 70, 130 and 300h) for benzylpenicillin, cephalosporin 87-312 and cephaloridine respectively. During the process, the protein underwent reactivation. The enzyme that was regenerated from its complex with benzylpenicillin was as sensitive to fresh benzylpenicillin as the native enzyme. With [(14)C]benzylpenicillin, the released radioactive compound was neither benzylpenicillin nor benzylpenicilloic acid. The Streptomyces R39 enzyme thus behaved as a beta-lactam-antibiotic-destroying enzyme but did not function as a beta-lactamase. Incubation at 37 degrees C in 0.01m-phosphate buffer, pH7.0, and in the same buffer supplemented with sodium dodecyl sulphate caused a more rapid reversion of the [(14)C]benzylpenicillin-enzyme complex. The rate constants were 1.6x10(-5)s(-1) and 0.8x10(-4)s(-1) respectively. Under these conditions, however, there was no concomitant reactivation of the enzyme and the released radioactive compound(s) appeared not to be the same as before. The Streptomyces R39 enzyme and the exocellular dd-carboxypeptidase-transpeptidase from Streptomyces R61 appeared to differ from each other with regard to the topography of their penicillin-binding site.

Homogeneous suspensions of streptomycete spores were desirable for plating after mutagenesis. Filtration through 8-mum membrane filters (Millipore Corp.) more effectively separated hyphae and spore clumps from single spores than did filtration through cotton wefts or paper.

Kalafungin is a new antimicrobial agent obtained from the culture broth of a soil isolate of Streptomyces tanashiensis, designated Streptomyces tanashiensis strain Kala UC-5063. Kalafungin is a chemically stable, nonpolyene agent which is ex-extremely inhibitory in vitro against a variety of pathogenic fungi, yeasts, protozoa, gram-positive bacteria, and, to a lesser extent, gram-negative bacteria.