A21459 A

Novel cyclic peptide antibiotics A21459 A and B are produced by a member of the genus Actinoplanes sp. These antibiotics inhibit bacterial protein synthesis and have selective antimicrobial activity against clostridia, mycoplasma and some Gram-negative bacteria.

The structures of argyrins A-H were elucidated by NMR spectroscopy, chemical degradation and X-ray analysis as cyclic octapeptides. Argyrins A and B, in addition to the common amino acids tryptophan, glycine, dehydroalanine and alanine or alpha-aminobutyric acid, sarcosine, contain 2-(1-aminoethyl)thiazol-4-caboxylic acid and the novel amino acid 4'-methoxytryptophan. In argyrins C and D the latter is replaced by 4'-methoxy 2'-methyltryptophan. According to NMR analysis the solution and crystal conformations of argyrins A and B are identical in CDCl3 and slightly different in acetone-d6. Argyrins A and B are identical with the antibiotics A21459 A and B, whose structures are revised with respect to 4'-methoxytryptophan.

The structures of the antibiotics, active against a few Gram-negative bacteria and Clostridium difficile, were determined on the basis of physicochemical analyses on the intact molecules and on the acid hydrolysate of A21459 A. FAB-MS and 1H and 13C NMR investigations identified the amino acid units and determined their sequence. Antibiotics A21459 A and B are homodetic cyclic peptides constituted by eight amino acid units. They are glycine, methoxytryptophan, tryptophan, cysteine, alanine, sarcosine, dehydroalanine, and alpha-aminobutyric acid for A21459 A (alanine for A21459 B). Cysteine and alanine condensed to form a thiazole moiety, according to the biosynthesis of thiazole containing antibiotics.