Amino acid precursors of Myxococcus xanthus antibiotic TA.

Abstract

The production of M. xanthus antibiotic TA was stimulated by addition of alanine, serine and glycine to Casitone medium. These 3 amino acids served as the major biosynthetic precursors of the antibiotic. Alanine and serine were incorporated via acetate. In Casitone medium supplemented with alanine and serine, 29-30 of the 34 C atoms of antibiotic TA were derived from these 2 amino acids. Both C atoms of glycine were incorporated into antibiotic TA by a mechanism not involving acetate as an intermediate. Antibiotic TA was split into 2 fragments by alkaline hydrolysis followed by periodate oxidation. Radioactive alanine was incorporated into both fragments, whereas glycine was incorporated only into the smaller, polar fragment.