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Chloroform extracts of several seaweeds, of the family Oscillatoriaceae, from Enewetak Atoll, Marshall Islands, display activity against P-388 lymphocytic mouse leukemia. A P-388 active compound, debromoaplysiatoxin, has been isolated from Lyngbya gracilis and characterized. This compound also has dermonecrotic activity and may be the dermatitis-producing substance in L. majuscula, the causative agent of "swimmers' itch" outbreaks in Hawaiian waters.

A54145 complex is made up of eight factors; A, A1? B, B1? C, D, E, and F which were active in vitro (MIC 0.25~> 32/ig/ml) against Gram-positive aerobic organisms. The complex, factors B and Bj were found to be active against two strains of Clostridium perfringens. A calcium dependence study on someof the factors showed that their in vitro antibacterial activity was greatly enhanced by the presence of calcium (50mg/liter) in the media. Resistance build-up was seen when Staphylococcus sp. and Streptococcus sp. were passed seven times in the presence of sublethal concentrations of A54145antibiotics. This resistance disappeared immediately when the resistant organisms were passed in the absence of the antibiotics. Factor A was very effective against Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcuspyogenes infections in mice (sc ED5Osof 3.3~2.4 mg/kg x 2, respectively). Factor B was more active against S. pyogenes in vivo (sc ED50, 0.9mg/kg x 2). Acute mousetoxicities were determined with these antibiotics. Semisynthetic derivatives were evaluated.

Optical and proton NMR spectral studies of the aplysiatoxins and derivatives, degradation products of the toxins, and an X-ray crystallographic analysis of 19,21-dibromoaplysiatoxin show that the absolute configurations