Isolation of the new antibiotic variamycin B from the biosynthetic products of a Streptomyces olivovariabilis sp. nov. culture

: Variamycin B, a new antitumor antibiotic was isolated from metabolic products of Streptomyces olivovariabilis sp. nov. The empirical formula of variamycin B is C52H76O24, the melting point is 163-165 degrees C (dec.), (alpha)20D--30 +/- 2 degrees (C 0.5, alcohol), the UV-spectrum: lambda max 230, 279, 317, 330, 415 (lg E 4.27, 4.6, 3.83, 3.75, 3.95), IR-spectrum: 1080, 1170, 1380, 1570, 1640, 1720, 3400 cm-1. Variamycin B is classified as belonging to the group of antibiotic analogs of aureolic acid. Chromomycinone, tetrazide and residues of two 2,6-didesoxysugars, i.e. olivose and variose were obtained as a result of complete and partial acid degradation of variamycin B. It was shown with the data of quantitative analysis of the hydrolysates obtained on complete hydrolysis of variamycin B that the ratio between the residues of variose and olivose in the antibiotic molecule was 1 : 4. Oxidation of variamycin B with Fremi salt resulted in formation of chinone having chromomycinone-chinone, 2 residues of olivose and 1 residue of variose in its composition. Investigation of the products of partial hydrolysis provided isolation of a substance having aglicone-chromomycenone and 4 residues of olivose in its composition. A partial structure of variamycin B is proposed.