Studies on Antiviral Antibiotics from Streptomyces. II Phagocidin, a New Antiviral Antibiotic

Abstract

In our screening program of antiviral antibiotics from streptomyces, a few strains manifesting some antiohage activities were found. Studies on phagomycin⁽⁴⁾ isolated from one of them were reported by M. Miura (1956).

In the present paper, the author describes another new antiphage substance produced by Streptomyces sp. No. C-930. The organism was isolated from soil samples collected at Ryōzen, Hukushima Prefecture.

The antibiotic was obtained from a culture filtrate of the strain in a pure crystalline form. Its physico-chemical and biological properties seemed to differ from those of known antiphage antibiotics derived from Streptomyces species: phagolessin A₅₈⁽¹⁾, cardicin⁽²⁾, crysomycin⁽³⁾, and phagomycin⁽⁴⁾. The substance was thus recognized as a new antibiotic and named phagocidin. Of the Streptomyces species already announced, this organism closely resembles Streptomyces antibioticus. Its mycological aspects will be dicussed in detail later on.