Biotransformation of lankamycin, darcanolide, and 11-acetyllankolide by a blocked mutant of the erythromcyin producing organism Streptomyces erythreus

The biotransformation of lankamycin and congeners darcanolide and 11-acetyllankolide by a blocked mutant of the erythromycin-producing organism Streptomyces erythreus, which cannot synthesize erythromycin without supplementation with erythromycin precursors, was investigated. Darcanolide and 11-acetyllankolide were converted into the corresponding 15-deoxy-15-oxo derivatives. Lankamycin was transformed to 15-deoxy-15-oxolankamycin, 4"-deacetyl-l5-deoxy-15-oxolankamycin and 3'-de-O-methyllankamycin. None of the derivatives possessed high antimicrobial activity.