HP17, A NEW PIGMENT-LIKE ANTIBIOTIC PRODUCED BY A NEW STRAIN OF SPIRILLOSPORA

Spirillospora strain 719 produces several antibiotics. On solid and li quid media, a deep red pigment is formed and diffuses throughout the c ulture. It was extracted with methanol from the mycelium cake and from the fermentation broth after precipitation at pH 2 and purified using TLC and HPLC. Its u.v. absorption spectrum and its physicochemical ch aracteristics place this antibiotic in the 3.3.2.2.8 of the Berdy et a l. classification. In most respects, it resembles proteinaceous pigmen t from Spirillospora 1655 and 1309-b that was studied and named spiril lomycin. However, HP17 differs from spirillomycin principally in molec ular weight and chemical nature.