CORPEPTINS, NEW BIOACTIVE LIPODEPSIPEPTIDES FROM CULTURES OF PSEUDOMONAS-CORRUGATA

The structure of the corpeptins, bioactive lipodepsipeptides produced in culture by Pseudomonas corrugata, the causal agent of tomato pith n ecrosis, has been determined. The combined use of FAB-mass spectrometr y, NMR spectroscopy and chemical procedures has allowed us to assign t he following primary structure to the peptide moiety: Dhb-Pro-Ala-Ala- Ala-Val-V alle-Dhp-Ala-Ala-Ala-Val-Dhb-aThr-Al-a-Dab-Ser-lle with the terminal carboxy group closing a macrocyclic ring on the hydroxy; grou p of the allo-threonine residue. The N-terminus is in turn acylated by 3-hydroxydecanoate in corpeptin A and by cis-3-hydroxy-5-dodecenoate in corpeptin B, Some preliminary data on the biological activity of co rpeptins are included. (C) 1998 Federation of European Biochemical Soc ieties.