Bacilysocin, a novel phospholipid antibiotic produced by Bacillus subtilis 168.
We have found a novel phospholipid antibiotic (named bacilysocin) which accumulates within (or associates with) the cells of Bacillus subtilis 168 and determined the structure by nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry analyses. The structure of bacilysocin elucidated was 1-(12-methyltetradecanoyl)-3-phosphoglyceroglycerol. Bacilysocin demonstrated antimicrobial activity, especially against certain fungi. Production of bacilysocin commenced immediately after growth ceased and before the formation of heat-resistant spores. The production of bacilysocin was completely blocked when the ytpA gene, which encodes a protein homologous to lysophospholipase, was disrupted, but blockage of the ytpA gene did not significantly affect growth. Sporulation was also impaired, with a 10-fold reduction in heat-resistant spore titers being detected. Since the ytpA disruptant actually lacked phospholipase activity, we propose that the YtpA protein functions as an enzyme for the biosynthesis of bacilysocin.
Tamehiro
Norimasa
N
National Food Research Institute, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8642, Japan.
Okamoto-Hosoya
Yoshiko
Y
Okamoto
Susumu
S
Ubukata
Makoto
M
Hamada
Masa
M
Naganawa
Hiroshi
H
Ochi
Kozo
K
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects; D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans / Q000187:drug effects; D008025:Ligases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D009154:Mutation; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects
C453341:1-(12-methyltetradecanoyl)-3-phosphoglyceroglycerol; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010743:Phospholipids; D008025:Ligases; C028812:guanosine 3',5'-polyphosphate synthetases