Studies on the production of daunomycinone-derived glycosides and related metabolites in Streptomyces coeruleorubidus and Streptomyces peucetius.

Strains of Streptomyces coeruleorubidus ISP 5145, JA 10092 and 39-146, differing mutually in antibiotic activity, were found to produce identical spectrum of metabolites (at least nine antibiotically active glycosides, 13-dihydrodaunomycinone, epsilon-rhodomycinone and a larger number of unidentified compounds); only trace quantities of daunomycin and daunomycinone could be detected. A fraction of glycosides with a higher RF (0.4-0.7), isolated from strain 39-146, could be transformed to daunomycin by mild hydrolysis and to daunomycinone by total hydrolysis. Streptomyces peucetius IMI 101 335 differed from Streptomyces coeruleorubidus in an increased production of epsilon-rhodomycinone and a lower content of glycosides; the zone of daunomycin was most pronounced among the glycoside spots. Streptomyces coeruleorubidus 39-146 exhibited the highest activity in a medium containing 3.5% soluble starch, 3.0% soybean meal, 0.3% NaCl and 0.3% CaCo3; glucose was a more useful carbon source for the remaining strains. The activity of Streptomyces coeruleoribidus was inhibited by 1-propanol, Na-propionate, 5,5-diethylbarbiturate and bacitracin. Ferrous sulphate stimulated the production of glycosides only in strain JA 10092, decreasing simultaneously the production of aglycones.