Naphthalecin, a novel antibiotic produced by the anaerobic bacterium, Sporotalea colonica sp. nov.

A novel antibiotic naphthalecin was purified and isolated from the cells of an anaerobic bacterium isolated from a soil sample. This antibiotic contained a naphthalene moiety, so named as naphthalecin, and showed antibacterial activity against gram positive species. The producing strain, an obligate anaerobe, was identified as a new species of the genus Sporotalea. Identification of the bacterium, cultivation, purification, structure determination, and antibacterial activity are shown.