Pulvomycin, an inhibitor of prokaryotic protein biosynthesis.

Antibiotic 1063-Z isolated from culture fluids of Streptoverticillium mobaraense was identified as pulvomycin. Pulvomycin was observed to inhibit protein biosynthesis in growing cells of Bacillus brevis. The poly(U)-directed poly(Phe) synthesis in cell-free systems of Bacillus brevis and Escherichia coli was highly susceptible to the antibiotic. Pulvomycin did not affect the transfer of Phe to tRNA. The results suggest that the target of pulvomycin action is the polypeptide chain elongation.