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The structure-activity relationships of different nikkomycins were studied to evaluate the structural requirements for a potent chitin synthase inhibitor. We investigated the transport of the nikkomycins via the peptide transport system of the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica and determined the kinetic parameters for nikkomycin Z uptake [Km = 24 microM, Vmax = 2.2 nmol min-1 (mg dry wt)-1]. We demonstrated that the beta-methyl group of the N-terminal amino acid of dipeptide nikkomycins protects the molecule against peptidase activity in crude cell-extracts of different fungi. Furthermore, the relationship between inhibition constants for chitin synthase, transport of the nikkomycins via the peptide transport system, susceptibility to degradation by cellular proteases and whole-cell activity of the nikkomycins are discussed.

Two brominated nikkomycins were produced by enzymatic halogenation of nikkomycin Z in the presence of a nonheme bromoperoxidase isolated from Streptomyces aureofaciens Tü 24. The monobrominated and dibrominated nikkomycin Z derivatives were substituted at the hydroxypyridyl moiety of the N-terminal amino acid of nikkomycin Z at position C-6"' (ZBr) or C-4"' and C-6"' (ZBr2). The brominated nikkomycin Z derivatives had a decreased affinity to chitin synthase of Coprinus cinereus as compared to nikkomycin Z and exhibited a low inhibitory activity towards various fungi and yeasts.

Two new dipeptidyl nikkomycins of the Z and X type were isolated from the culture broth of Streptomyces tendae TU 901/395-11/32 and characterized. They show a variation in the amino acid moiety of the molecule. Nikkomycin Wz is composed of L-tyrosine and 5-amino-5-deoxy-D-allo-furanuronic acid N-glycosidally bound to uracil, whereas nikkomycin Wx is composed of L-tyrosine and 5-amino-5-deoxy-D-allo-furanuronic acid N-glycosidally bound to 4-formyl-4-imidazolin-2-one. The new nikkomycins are good inhibitors of chitin synthetase from Coprinus cinereus but they did not inhibit growth of fungi and yeasts.

The bafilomycins A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2, a new type of macrolide antibiotics with a 16-membered lactone ring, were isolated from the fermentation broth of three Streptomyces griseus strains (TU 1922, TU 2437, TU 2599) by ethyl acetate extraction and column chromatography on silica gel. The bafilomycins exhibit activity against Gram-positive bacteria and fungi. Physico-chemical data, chemical structures and biological activities are reported.

Cladosporin was isolated from the cultures of three species of the genus Eurotium. Cladosporin inhibited the growth of several fungi and at very low concentrations the growth of Bacillus brevis and Clostridium pasteurianum. Bacillus subtilis and most other Gram-positive bacteria were not sensitive. Gram-negative bacteria and yeasts were not affected by concentrations up to 100 microgram/ml. Dimethyl cladosporin showed only week activity against Bacillus brevis with the minimal inhibitory concentrations being a 100 times higher than of cladosporin. The incorporation of leucine and uracil into acid insoluble material in Bacillus brevis cells was completely inhibited by concentration of 0.5 microgram/ml cladosporin. The incorporation of thymidine was not affected at this concentration.

Four new dipeptidyl nikkomycins of the Z- and the X-series with a variation in the amino acid moiety of the molecule were isolated from the mutant Streptomyces tendae 901/395 and characterized. Nikkomycins Kz and Kx contain 2-amino-4-hydroxy-4-(2-pyridyl)butyric acid, and nikkomycins Oz and Ox 2-amino-4-hydroxy-4-(5-hydroxy-2-pyridyl)butyric acid. In contrast to nikkomycins Z and X, nikkomycins Kx and Ox are quite stable at alkaline pH and exhibit a lower biological activity against various test organisms. From the mutant S. tendae 901/C37, which is auxotrophic for methionine and threonine, enhanced amounts of two tripeptidyl nikkomycins, Qz and Qx, were produced which are analogues of nikkomycins J and I and contain a homoserine residue instead of glutamic acid. These nikkomycins exhibit a high pH instability.

Two new nikkomycins were isolated from the culture broth of Streptomyces tendae Tü 901/PF 53+-3. The new compounds are the dipeptide nikkomycin pseudo-Z (psi Z) and tripeptide nikkomycin pseudo-J (psi J), which are analogues to nikkomycins Z and J. Nikkomycins pseudo-Z and pseudo-J have a C-glycosidic linkage between uracil and 5-amino-5-deoxy-D-allo-furanuronic acid, which is comparable to the C-glycosidic bond in pseudouridine. The new Cc-nucleoside nikkomycins exhibit a lower biological activity than the CN-nucleoside nikkomycins.

Pyridazomycin, a new antifungal antibiotic produced by Streptomyces violaceoniger sp. griseofuscus (strain Tü 2557), was detected in a selective screening against Mucor hiemalis (Tü 179/180). The amino acid side chain of 1 can be seen as L-ornithine, whose gamma-nitrogen atom is part of a pyridazine ring building a quaternary ammonium system. The structure of 1 was established by spectroscopic analysis of the parent compound and degradation products. The occurrence of a pyridazine ring in microbial secondary metabolites is unique.

To isolate Streptomyces tendae mutants blocked in the biosynthesis of the nikkomycin nucleoside base 4-formyl-4-imidazoline-2-one, an assay was developed to detect the formation of nikkomycins containing this base during growth on solid medium. The assay is based on the reaction of the 4-formylimidazolone structure of nikkomycins with the aldehyde reagent barbituric acid leading to red-colored products. Among 18,000 N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine treated clones tested in the barbituric acid assay, we isolated one mutant which was incapable of forming any nikkomycins containing the 4-formylimidazolone base (nikkomycins Cx, X and I) but instead produced nikkomycins containing uracil (nikkomycins C, Z and J). In addition, we isolated strains with mutations affecting the biosynthesis of 2-amino-4-hydroxy-4-(5-hydroxy-2-pyridyl)-3-methylbutyric acid, the unusual amino acid of nikkomycins Z, X, J and I. By analyzing colonies derived from single spores or protoplasts of S. tendae Tü901/395, a mutant producing besides nikkomycins Z, X, J and I, also nikkomycins Kz/Kx and Oz/Ox, we obtained strains which only formed nikkomycins Kz/Kx and Oz/Ox with 2-amino-4-hydroxy-4-(2-pyridyl)butyric acid and 2-amino-4-hydroxy-4-(5-hydroxy-2-pyridyl)-butyric acid as amino acids. Mutation of such a strain (Tü901/395-11) by UV365nm in the presence of 8-methoxypsoralen and selection of S-2-aminoethyl-L-cysteine-resistant clones led to the isolation of Tü901/AEC1 and AEC2 which produced exclusively nikkomycins Kz and Kx. According to their nikkomycin spectrum, these strains were blocked at the hydroxylation step occurring at the pyridyl residue during biosynthesis of the nikkomycin amino acid.

Two new nikkomycins were isolated from the fermentation broth of Streptomyces tendae Tü 901/PF 53+-3. These new metabolites, nikkomycins pseudo-Z (psi-Z,1) and pseudo-J (psi-J, 2) differ from the corresponding nikkomycins Z and J by a C-glycosidic bond between C-5 of uracil and C-1' of 5-amino-5-deoxy-D-allo-furanuronic acid instead of an N-glycosidic bond. The structure elucidation was achieved by two-dimensional NMR techniques and mass spectrometry.

From the fermentation broth of Streptomyces tendae Tü 901 a substance was isolated which inhibits the growth of several fungi. The new antibiotic affects the chitchin biosynthesis. Its structure was identified by mass spectrometry of the products obtained after chemical degradation. Nikkomycin is a nucleoside-peptide antibiotic consisting of uracil, an amino hexuronic acid and a new amino acid containing a pyridin ring.