PRODUCTION OF BUTYROLACTONE AUTOREGULATORS BY STREPTOMYCES-COELICOLORA3(2)

We report here that Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) produces at least se ven butyrolactone autoregulators: two of the IM-2 type, four virginiae butanolide type, and one A-factor type. The most abundant one corresp onds to virginiae butanolide-C-9 having a C2 side chain of nine carbon s. Model butyrolactone compounds as well as extracts of S. coelicolor mycelia showed clear induction of morphological differentiation, imply ing that S. coelicolor A3(2) probably possessed butyrolactone-type aut oregulator(s) controlling the morphological differentiation.