Anthracycline metabolites from Streptomyces violaceus A262. II. New anthracycline epelmycins produced by a blocked mutant strain SU2-730.

New anthracycline antibiotics, identified as epsilon-rhodomycinone glycosides, were isolated from the culture broth of a blocked mutant of beta-rhodomycin-producing Streptomyces violaceus A262. They were designated as epelmycins A, B, C, D and E, and assayed for their in vitro cytotoxicities against murine leukemic L1210 cell culture and the antimicrobial activities in comparison with known anthracycline antibiotics.