Oxazolomycin Esters, Specific Inhibitors of Plant Transformation

Abstract

Oxazolomycin diacetate, dipropionate, monobutyrate and dibutyrate were derived from oxazolomycin, a product of Streptomyces sp.KBFP-2025. These esters were potent inhibitors of crown gall formation on potato tuber disks upon infection with Agrobacterium tumefaciens. They showed neither antibacterial nor phytotoxic activity, whereas oxazolomycin showed both antibacterial and phytotoxic activities. Further, they had no inhibitory activity against A.tumefaciens on the potato tuber disk. The inhibitory activity of these esters against crown gall formation seems to be due to specific inhibition of the transformation of plants with A.tumefaciens.