A new Saccharopolyspora species isolated from soil collected in a sugar mill rum still is described. This organism is characterized by pale yellowish pink aerial hyphae that bear long chains of spores encased in distinctive spiny spore sheaths. Fragmentation occurs when the organism is cultured in liquid media. The new species contains meso-diaminopimelic acid, arabinose, and galactose (cell wall chematype IV), has whole-cell sugar pattern type A, contains no mycolic acids, and contains phosphatidylcholine (phospholipid pattern type PIII). The single isolate has chemical and morphological properties consistent with the genus Saccharopolyspora. A comparison with previously described species of the genus in which we used standard techniques plus fatty acid analyses showed that this organism differs from previously described species. The name proposed for this new species is Saccharopolyspora spinosa. The type strain is strain A83543

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A54145is a complex of new lipopeptide antibiotics that inhibits Gram-positive bacteria and acts as a growth promotant for broiler chicks. Eight factors; A, B, C, D, E, F, At and B^have been isolated and characterized. They contain four similar peptide nuclei, each of which is acylated with either an 2-decanoyl, rc-decanoyl, or undecanoyl side chain. Taxonomicstudies ascertained that the producing microorganism was a strain of Streptomyces fradiae. Fermentation studies determined that superior antibiotic yields were obtained in stirred bioreactors in a soybean flour-molasses medium employing a continuous glucose feed. These findings, interwoven with the selection of hyper-productive mutants, increased fermentation yields from < 50 /xg/ml to more than 1 mg/ml. An analytical HPLCsystem was developed for the identification and subsequent quantitation of each factor of the A54145 complex.While screening actinomycetes for novel antimicrobial substances, a new culture was isolated from a soil sample collected in Mexico. This isolate produced a complex of lipopeptide antibiotics from which eight factors; A, B, C, D, E, F, Ax and Bx; were isolated and characterized1*.These factors contained four different cyclic peptide nuclei which varied only in valine/isoleucine and/or glutamate/3-CH3-glutamate substitutions. The TV-terminus of each nucleus was acylated with either an 2-decanoyl (z"C10), rc-decanoyl («C10), or undecanoyl (flCn) lipid side chain (Fig. I)1'2*. Major factors were A and Bl9 both of which contained the zC10 fatty acyl units. Although four additional factors could presumably be produced by this combination of nuclei and side chains, these additional factors were not isolated. A54145B,Bl9 C and E exhibited in vitro MICvalues of 0.5~2/zg/ml vs. various strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Streptococcus. Factors A and B were also shown to be active vs. these organisms in mice3). The factors additionally increased weight gain and feed efficiency in swine and fowl, being especially effective in chicks and turkeys (R. Wellenreiter, personal communication). A natural variant of the original isolated, NRRL18158, was characterized as a strain of Streptomycesfradiae. This paper describes taxonomy and fermentation studies on the A54145-producing cultures and the analytical HPLCsystem developed to monitor the A54145 factors. Materials and Methods Cell Wall AnalysesDiaminopimelic acid (DAP) isomers were determined by the method of Becker et al.4). Cell wall sugars were identified by the procedure of Lechevalier5). Taxonomic MethodsThe methods and media recommended by the International Streptomyces Project (ISP)6) for characterization of Streptomyces species were followed. Color names were assigned to reverse pigments

A culture identified as Streptomyces karnatakensis was found to produce a novel cyclic hexadepsipeptide antibiotic designated A83586C.The structure was elucidated by X-ray crystallography, and full XHand 13CNMR assignments are reported. The absolute configuration was confirmed by the detection of D-threonine in the acid hydrolysate of A83586C. A83586Chad potent Gram-positive activity in vitro but lacked in vivo efficacy in mice.During the course of screening for biologically active metabolites, culture A83586, subsequently identified as a strain of Streptomyces karnatakensis, was isolated. This culture, which produced a complex of piericidins0, was also found to produce an antibiotic possessing potent Gram-positive activity. Isolation of this antibiotic, designated A83586C, yielded a crystalline material which was shown by X-ray analysis to be a cyclic hexadepsipeptide closely related to azmothricm2). The absolute stereochemistry was determined to be the same as in azinothricin through the detection of D-threonine in an acid hydrolysate of A83586C. In fact, A83586C differs from azinothricin only in the presence of iV-hydroxy-L-alanine instead of iV-hydroxy-O-methyl-L-serine, and in having a methyl instead of an ethyl group at C-37. Other antibiotics containing the piperazic acid moiety include the monamycins3), and PD 124,9664) (C. D. Rithner; personal communication). TaxonomyCulture A83586 was isolated from a soil collected in Guam. The culture was characterized following methods outlined by the International Streptomyces Project (ISP)5). ISCC-NBS Centroid Color Charts, standard sample No. 2106 and the Color Harmony Manual (4th Ed., 1958, Container Corporation of America, Chicago, Illinois) were used to identify the colors of the reverse side and aerial spore mass respectively.The culture grew well on both complex and defined media. Aerial spore mass color was predominantly gray, although some white and pale yellow were observed. The reverse color was yellowish brownto grayish yellow. Soluble pigments were not produced. The cultural characteristics of A83586 on various ISP media are presented in Table 1.The culture A83586 produces an extensive substrate mycelium. Aerial hyphae produce long, compact chains of spores arranged in spirals consisting of 5 or more coils. There are > 10 spores per chain. The spore surface is covered with long profuse hairs (Fig. 1). Thus the morphology is spiral (S) and spore surface hairy (HA).Culture A83586is characterized by a very narrow carbohydrate utilization pattern. It utilized the following carbohydrates : D-Galactose, glucose, glycerol, glycogen, maltose, mannose, D-trehalose, and sodium butyrate. It was unable to utilize adonitol, d-and L-arabinose, cellobiose, cellulose,

A new Amycolutopsis species isolated from soil produces a new glycopeptide antibiotic related to vancomycin. Traditional taxonomic methods and contemporary fatty acid analysis techniques were used to establish the position of this species. The hyphae fragment extensively when the organism is cultured in liquid media. The organism is characterized by white aerial hyphae that bear long chains of cylindrical conidia. The reverse side is yellowish brown; a faint light brown soluble pigment is occasionally produced. The organism has a type N cell wall (meso-diaminopimelic acid), a type A whole-cell sugar pattern, and a type PI1 phospholipid pattern. Mycolic acids are not present in whole-cell hydrolysates. The major menaquinone is MK3(H4); there is also a minor amount of MKd(H4). The name proposed for this new species is Amycolutopsis &a. The type strain is strain A83850 (= NRRL 18532).Taxonomists have long been aware that many organisms assigned to the genus Nocardia do not have the characteristic features of this genus (i.e., a type IV cell wall and the presence of mycolic acids). Recent work by Lechevalier et al. (15) on the genus Nocardia has resulted in the reassignment of a number of its species that lack mycolic acids to two new genera, the genera Amycolata and Amycolatopsis. The genus Amycolatopsis is characterized by small, fragmenting, nonmotile vegetative hyphae, a type IV cell wall (meso-diaminopimelic acid, glutamic acid, alanine, muramic acid, glucosamine, galactose), and the absence of both madurose and mycolic acids. The menaquinones are predominantly MK-9(H2) and MK-9(H4), and the phospholipid type is type PI1 (phosphatidylethanolamine). The guanineplus-cytosine content of the DNA ranges from 66 to 69 mol%.Strain A83850T (T = type strain) was isolated from a mixture of unknown soils during the normal course of isolating organisms for an antibiotic-screening program. This organism has the properties of the genus Amycolatopsis; however, when it was evaluated by traditional and contemporary fatty acid analysis methods, it was not similar to the six species previously placed in this genus. On the basis of its chemical, morphological, and physiological properties, we consider strain A83850T a member of a new species, for which we propose the name Amycolatopsis alba. MATERIALS AND METHODSBacterial strains. Strain A83850T was isolated from soil by using the dilution plating technique. Type strains Amycolatopsis orientalis ATCC 19795