A new antibiotic echinosporin (XK-213) - producing organism, isolation and characterization.

Streptomyces echinosporus MK-213 produces a noval antibiotic echinosporin (XK-213). Isolation of echinosporin was performed by absorption on activated carbon under acidic conditions and then eluted by aqueous acetone. The compound crystallized from methanol is a water soluble white solid composed of C10H9NO5. Echinosporin exhibits weak antibacterial activities against Gram-positive and -negative microorganisms and its shows antitumor activity.