Macquarimicins, Microbial Metabolites from Micromonospora

I. Discovery, Taxonomy, Fermentation and Biological Properties

Abstract

A novel series of microbial metabolites were discovered in fermentation broths of two soil isolates. Both cultures were identified as strains of Micromonospora chalcea. Production of the metabolites, named macquarimicins, was monitored by an HPLC assay. A seven-day fermentation yielded 27mg/liter of macquarimicin A. With MICs of 50 to 100 μg/ml, macquarimicin A has only very low activity against strains of Bacteroides and other anaerobes. Macquarimicin B has inhibitory activity against the leukemia cell line P-388.