Micrococcin P1: structure, biology and synthesis.

Micrococcin P1, 1, is an antibiotic that exhibits noteworthy antibacterial, antiprotozoal, antimalarial,cytotoxic, and gene-modulating activities. This notwithstanding, its precise structure remained undefined until mid-2009, when our group carried out the total synthesis of a substance that proved to be spectroscopically and polarimetrically identical to the natural product. This work lifted all structural and stereochemical ambiguities that have surrounded micrococcin since its discovery. Of course,knowledge of the precise structure of the molecule is essential in understanding intimate details of its mode of action and in charting possible medicinal chemistry activity. This review summarizes present knowledge about the sources, properties, and chemical synthesis of micrococcin P1.