Antifungal macrodiolide from Streptomyces sp

Abstract

Aerobic fermentation cultures of Streptomyces sp. produced an antifungal macrodiolide. This new antibiotic consists of two units of homononactic acid linked to form a cyclic diester. An unknown polypeptide was also isolated in trace quantities. The antibiotic with polypeptide complex showed high levels of antifungal activity compared with that of the macrodiolide alone. The macrodiolide also showed a stimulatory effect on some species of fungi. The production, purification, and characterization of these compounds are reported.