Investigation of Secondary Metabolites from Actinomycetes

The antibiotics naphthomycin A (I1) and naphthomycin X(I3}, as well as the compounds I2 I4. and II were isolated from the fermentation of Streptomyces aurantogriseus (strain Tu 2357).Morphological, cultural and physiological characteristics .of the antibiotic - producing strain were described. The strain was compared with the other strains producing naphthomycins namely, Streptomyces col1inus (Strain Tu 105) which produces naphthomycin A, Streptomyces galbus subsp. griseosporeus (strain Tu 353) which produces naphthomycin B, and Streptomyces diastatochromogenes var. digsattochromogenes (strain Tu 1892) which produces naphthomycin C.Improvement of the antibiotic production was tried. Selection of more active colonies, variation of media and production ofmutants using UV-rays and alkylating agent were different methods used for the improvement. The alkylating agent N-methyT-N’-nitro-N nitrosoguanidine showed effect in producing mutants with slightlyThe antimicrobial properties of the antibiotics against 9 gm - ve and 9 gm + ve bacteria, as well as 9 actinomycetes and fungi were examined. Gram + ve bacteria and fungi were the sensitive organisms.