Blasticidin from Streptomyces

Blasticidin (52) is an antibiotic isolated from Streptomyces griseochro-mogenes in 1955 [87]. Detailed physicochemical properties were reported in 1968, but the structure remained undefined [88]. Interest in this metabolite was renewed recently with the isolation of the homologous compounds aflastatin A and B (53, 54), metabolites of S. griseochro-... 

Blasticidin S (327) is an antifungal agent used against rice blast disease in Japan. It was isolated in 1958 from Streptomyces griseochromogenes [411] and the structure and absolute stereochemistry were elucidated by chemical means [412-415] and confirmed by X-ray spectroscopy [416,417]. The biosynthesis has also been determined [418,419]. 

Attention is called to the pyrimidine antibiotics section in Part I of this review. Several of these natural products, including blasticidin, gougerotin, amicetin, bamicetin and plicacetin, are 1-substituted cytosines. Cytovirin is also a plant antiviral substance from Streptomyces olivochromogenus which yields cytosine on degradation [351]. 

There are two commercial fungicides, the antibiotics blasticidin S and kasugamycin, that act via the inhibition of protein biosynthesis (Figure 4.19). Blasticidin S is a fermentation product obtained from cultures of Streptomyces griseochromogenes, and has specific activity in the control of P. oryzae, similar to kasugamycin, a secondary metabolite of S. kasugaensis. However, much of the earlier work on mode of action was carried out using another antibiotic, cycloheximide. 

Blasticidin S. Blasticidin S is the first successful agricultural antibiotic developed in Japan. It was isolated from the culture filtrates of Streptomyces griseochromogenes by Takeuchi et al. (7), and the potent curative effect of blasticidin S on rice blast was found by Misato et al. (8) Thereafter the benzyl-aminobenzene sulfonate of blasticidin S was reported to be least phytotoxic to the host plant without reducing antifungal activity against Pyricularia oryzae, the pathogen of rice blast (9), and... 

Blasticidin S (1) represents the first agricultural antibiotic developed in Japan. The compound has been isolated from culture broth of Streptomyces chriseochro-mogenes [2] and the chemical structure has been elucidated [3, 4]. Blasticidin S... 

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