Membranous phosphoglyceride-linked biosynthesis of pentadecapeptide, linear gramicidin, by Bacillus brevis ATCC 8185.

A peptide antibiotic, linear gramicidin A, from Bacillus brevis ATCC 8185 was biosynthesized with a cell-free preparation. An ethanolamine donor required for masking of a carboxyl terminal in this linear peptide was detected. Phosphatidylethanolamine, one of phosphoglycerides and a major structural element of membranes in bacterial cells, was verified to be the primary donor of terminal ethanolamine in the total synthesis of the peptide. This paper suggests that one of the non-ribosomal peptidyl products undergoes tight linkage to a component of cellular membranes.