[Cytotoxic compounds from the marine actinobacterium].

We isolated a bioactive streptomycete from marine sediment samples collected at Bay of Bengal, India, during our systematic study of marine actinobacteria. The taxonomic studies indicated that the isolate is related to Strepomyces corchorusii. However, it differed in certain aspects, and, hence, was designated as S. corchorusii AUBN(1)/7. A solvent extraction followed by a chromatographic purification helped obtain from the isolate two cytotoxic compounds, which were identified as resistomycin, a quinone-related antibiotic, and tetracenomycin D, an anthraquinone antibiotic, on the basis of spectral data of pure compounds. They demonstrated in vitro a potent cytotoxic activity against cell lines HMO2 (gastric adenocarcinoma) and HepG2 (hepatic carcinoma) and also exhibited weak antibacterial activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The English version of the paper: Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry, 2006, vol. 32, no. 3; see also http://www.maik.ru.