Hormaomycin, a new peptide lactone antibiotic effective in inducing cytodifferentiation and antibiotic biosynthesis in some streptomyces species

Abstract

Hormaomycin is a novel signal metabolite from Streptom yces griseoflavus W-384 with aerial mycelium -inducing activity. The com pound has been identified as an unusual peptide lactone. Hormaomycin displays three biological activities: First, it initiates the developm ent of aerial mycelia in some Streptom yces strains. The mechanism responsible for this activity is unknown. Secondly, hormaomycin is effective in stimulating antibiotic production in different Streptomyces species. Thus, it is possible to get overproduction of a variety of antibiotics by the use of horm aom ycin in ferm entation processes. Thirdly, it inhibits the growth of som e bacteria. The sensitive bacteria are restricted to coryneform taxa such as Arthrobacter and Corynebacterium which are closely related to Streptomyces. © 1990, Walter de Gruyter. All rights reserved.