Ecomycins, unique antimycotics from Pseudomonas viridiflava

• Published in: Journal of applied microbiology 1998-06, Vol.84 (6), p.937-944
• Main Authors: MILLER, C. M, MILLER, R. V, GARTON-KENNY, D, REDGRAVE, B, SEARS, J, CONDRON, M. M, TEPLOW, D. B, STROBEL, G. A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amino Acids - analysis; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antifungal Agents - chemistry; Antifungal Agents - isolation & purification; Antifungal Agents - pharmacology; Biological and medical sciences; Biology of microorganisms of confirmed or potential industrial interest; Biotechnology; Candida albicans; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Cryptococcus neoformans; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fungi - drug effects; Humans; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Mass Spectrometry; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Miscellaneous; Mission oriented research; Molecular Weight; Oligopeptides - chemistry; Oligopeptides - isolation & purification; Oligopeptides - pharmacology; Peptides; Pseudomonas - metabolism; Pseudomonas viridiflava; Solubility; Solvents
• ISSN: 1364-5072; 1365-2672
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2672.1998.00415.x

A novel family of peptide antimycotics, termed ecomycins, is described from Pseudomonas viridiflava, a plant‐associated bacterium. Ecomycins B and C have molecular masses of 1153 and 1181. They contain equimolar amounts of a β hydroxyaspartic acid, homoserine, threonine, serine, alanine, glycine and one unknown amino acid. Fatty acids were detectable after hydrolysis, methylation and gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy. The ecomycins have significant bioactivities against a wide range of human and plant pathogenic fungi. The minimum inhibitory concentration values for ecomycin B were 4·0 μg ml−1 against Cryptococcus neoformans and 31 μg ml−1 against Candida albicans. Pseudomonas viridiflava also produces what appears to be syringotoxin, an antifungal lipopeptide previously described from Ps. syringae.