Biosynthesis of staurosporine, 2. Incorporation of tryptophan.

Following studies to define the time course, media, and nutrient parameters for the production of the potent cytotoxic antibiotic staurosporine in Streptomyces staurosporeus, biosynthetic studies of staurosporine with singly- and doubly-labeled radioactive precursors established that either one or two units of tryptophan was incorporated efficiently. From the 13C-nmr spectrum of staurosporine subsequent to stable isotope incorporation experiments, it was established that the aglycone moiety was derived from two units of tryptophan with the carbon skeleton incorporated intact.