Microbial glycosylation of erythromycin A

Abstract

Erythromycin A (compound 1) was inactivated by Streptomyces vendargensis ATCC 25507 in fermentation. The inactivation product was isolated and characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectroscopy as 2'-(O-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl])erythromycin A (compound 2). The MICs of compounds 1 and 2 were determined. Compound 2 lacked antibiotic activity when tested against several gram-positive pathogens, as well as S. vendargensis.