Interconversion among 16-Membered Macrolide Antibiotics Belonging to Leucomycin-Maridomycin Group

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Abstract
To clarify the biosynthetic pathway of maridomycin, the biosynthetic relation among 16-membered macrolide antibiotics belonging to leucomycin-maridomycin group was examined with intact cells or growing cultures of Streptomyces hygroscopicus No. B–5050–HA and its mutants. Carbomycin A, B and leucomycin A3 were converted to maridomycin II in the pH range of 5.5-7.5 with an optimum between 6.0-6.5. But, maridomycin II was not converted to leucomycin A3 or carbomycin B. These findings were confirmed by culture experiment. Leucomycin A3, carbomycin A and B added to the culture at 48 hr were almost completely converted to maridomycin II. On the basis of these facts, we propose a biosynthetic relation among leucomycin A3, carbomycin A, carbomycin B and maridomycin II.