Biological agents that produce anthrax

The potential of C burnetii as a biological warfare threat is directly related to its infectivity. It has been estimated that 50 kg of dried, powdered C burnetii would produce casualties a rate equal to that of similar amounts of anthrax or tularemia organisms.14 Q fever has been evaluated as a potential biological warfare agent by the United States,15 but munitions and stocks (except that required for vaccine research) were publicly destroyed by executive order of President Richard M. Nixon between May 1971 and May 1972.16... 

A benzoxazole natural product, antibiotic A-33853 is produced by submerged aerobic fermentation of a new Streptomyces sp. NRRL 12068. A-33853, its diacetyl and triacetyl derivatives have shown promising antibacterial and antiviral activities[1 ]. Structure of A-33853 has been elucidated through X-ray diffraction studies of its tetraacetyl derivative. The biological data shows that antibiotic A-33853 is a very attractive lead compound for the development of novel antibacterials. The parent natural product and a number of it derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for their activity against Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax. The synthesized compounds show low micromolar activities. Synthesis and SAR of a number of novel derivatives of the natural product are presented. [1]. Michel, K. H. Boeck, L. D. Hoehn, M. M. The discovery, fermentation, isolation, and structure of antibiotic A-33853 and its tetraacetyl derivative. J. Antibiot. 1984, 37, 441-445. 

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