STRUCTURES OF CEPAFUNGINS I, II AND III

Abstract

Structures of interesting acylpeptide antibiotics cepafungins I, II and III were elucidated by NMR spectroscopic studies and some degradation experiments. The antibiotics contain a common peptide part that consists of threonine and two unusual amino acid residues, γ-hydroxylysine and 4-amino-2-pentcnoic acid. The unusual amino acid residues compose an interesting 12-membered ring with an exocyclic N-terminus to which the threonine is connected. Different fatty acyl groups connected to the N-terminus of the threonine distinguish the three cepafungins. The major component I and minor component III are new substance, but the minor component II has a structure identical with that of the recently reported antibiotic glidobactin A.