Isolation and characterization of hypeptin from Pseudomonas sp.

An antibiotic, named hypeptin, was isolated from the culture broth of a strain of Pseudomonas sp. The antibiotic was extracted with butanol and purified by chromatography on a Sephadex LH-20 column. The antibiotic is basic in nature. The dihydrochloride is soluble in aqueous alcohols and positive to ninhydrin and Sakaguchi's reaction. A molecular formula, C44H71N13O15.2HCl was indicated by microanalysis and secondary ion MS. The IR spectrum and acid hydrolysis indicated it to be a peptide antibiotic. The stereochemistries of the amino acids produced by hydrolysis were clarified by HPLC using a chiral column. The antibiotic is active in vitro against a wide variety of anaerobic bacteria and aerobic Gram-positive bacteria.