Kanamycin acetyltransferase gene from kanamycin-producing Streptomyces kanamyceticus IFO 13414

A kanamycin producer, Streptomyces kanamyceticus IFO 13414 is highly resistant to kanamycin. Cloning of the kanamycin resistance genes in S. lividans 1326 with pIJ702 gave several kanamycin resistant transformants. Two transformants, S. lividans SNUS 90041 and S. lividans SNUS 91051 showed similar resistance patterns to various aminoglycoside antibiotics. Gene mapping experiments revealed that plasmids pSJ5030 and pSJ2131 isolated from the transformants have common resistant gene fragments. Subcloning of pSJ5030 gave a 1.8 Kb gene fragment which showed resistance to kanamycin. Cell free extracts of S. lividans SNUS 90041, S. lividans SNUS 91051 and subclone a S. lividans SNUS 91064 showed kanamycin acetyltransferase activity. The detailed gene map is included.

Application of fast atom bombardment combined with tandem mass spectrometry to the structural elucidation of O-demethylabierixin and related polyether antibiotics

O-Demethylabierixin, a new polyether antibiotic, was isolated from a Streptomyces spp. Its structure elucidation was carried out with fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry (FAB-MS) and fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry-mass spectrometry (FAB-MS/MS) by comparing spectral patterns with those of structurally similar polyether compounds, nigericin and abierixin. The collision-induced dissociation (CID) of sodium-adduct and deprotonated molecular ions produced many cyclic ether rings-opened product ions via a series of the dissociative processes. Because of the negative charge of the carboxylate group at the end of the molecule, the charge-remote fragmentation pattern in the negative CID spectra of deprotonated molecular ions was very helpful for complete identification of product ions which are characteristic for cyclic ether structures. From this study, the new polyether antibiotic was identified to be O-demethylabierixin in which the methoxy group of six-membered ether ring in abierixin was replaced by the hydroxy group.

Identification of actinomycins by high performance liquid chromatography and fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry

An actinomycin complex isolated from culture broth of a soil microorganism, SNUS 9305011 has been examined by High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). From the analysis of the fractions obtained by column chromatography of the ethyl acetate extract, three actinomycin components are confirmed. The HPLC analysis is carried out with a CN-bonded nucleosil column. Comparison of the retention times of the components with those of actinomycin D, C complex X0 beta, and V suggests that they are different actinomycins. FAB mass spectra of the components also shows different molecular ions from those of standards and other reported actinomycins. The present work was has demonstrated that actinomycin components can be separated by a CN-bonded HPLC column, and that comparison of their HPLC chromatograms with authentic samples and information on their molecular ions can be successfully employed for identification of actinomycins.