UDP-N-methyl-D-glucosamine-phosphate--a possible intermediate of N-methyl-L-glucosamine moiety of streptomycin.

The formation of N-methyl-L-glucosamine moiety of streptomycin from D-glucosamine by Streptomyces griseus was studied. The addition of thymine to the culture medium stimulated the formation of streptomycin and the incorporation of D-glucosamine into N-methyl-L-glucosamine moiety. During a study of sugar nucleotides in the mycelia, a novel UDP-amino sugar was isolated. The compound was formed before the maximum production of streptomycin. It was UDP-N-methyl-D-glucosamine-phosphate.