The development of a screen targeted to antibiotics which bind elongat
ion factor Tu (EF-Tu) is described. The method was based on selection
of antimicrobial activities which were antagonized by exogenous EF-Tu.
Kirromycin, a known inhibitor of EF-Tu, was positive in this screen.
Among 47,000 microorganisms screened, several producers of kirromycin-
type antibiotics were detected and the novel antibiotics GE2270 and GE
37468 were discovered. These thiopeptide molecules constitute, along w
ith amithiamycin, a novel class of antibiotics acting on EF-Tu.