CE-108, a new macrolide tetraene antibiotic.

In the search for strains producing antifungal compounds, a new tetraene macrolide CE-108 (3) has been isolated from culture broth of Streptomyces diastaticus 108. In addition, the strain also produces the previously described tetraene rimocidin (1) and also the aromatic polyketide oxytetracycline. Both tetraene compounds, structurally related, are produced in a ratio between 25 to 35% (CE-108 compared to rimocidin), although it can be inverted toward CE-108 production by changing the composition of the fermentation medium. This paper deals with the characterization of the producer strain, fermentation, purification, structure determination and biological properties of the new macrolide tetraene CE-108.