Inactivation of bleomycin by an N-acetyltransferase in the bleomycin-producing strain Streptomyces verticillus.

Bleomycin-producing Streptomyces verticillus ATCC15003 possesses a bleomycin acetyltransferase which inactivates the drug in the presence of acetyl coenzyme A. The site of acylation in enzymically prepared acetylbleomycin A2 was determined by nuclear magnetic resonance analysis; the primary amino group of the beta-aminoalanine moiety of bleomycin was acetylated Acetylbleomycin A2 had no detectable antibacterial activity and did not induce in vitro DNA degradation.