Biosynthetic origin of the carbon skeleton and nitrogen atom of pamamycin-607, a nitrogen-containing polyketide.

The biosynthesis of pamamycin-607 (PM-607), a sixteen-membered macrodiolide compound, was studied with 13C- and 15N-labeled precursor units in Streptomyces alboniger. Feeding experiments with 13C-labeled acetate or propionate indicate that the carbon skeleton of PM-607 was derived from six acetate, four propionate and three succinate units. MS analyses of 15N-labeled PM-607 suggest that the nitrogen atom in PM-607 was derived from the alpha-amino group of an amino acid.