Pyrrolosporin A, a new antitumor antibiotic from Micromonospora sp. C39217-R109-7. I. Taxonomy of producing organism, fermentation and biological activity.

Strain C39217-R109-7 (ATCC 53791) is an actinomycete strain isolated from a soil sample collected at Puerto Viejo, Peru. It produces a new antitumor antibiotic, designated pyrrolosporin A. Taxonomic studies on its morphological, cultural and physiological characteristics identified this producing strain as Micromonospora sp. C39217-R109-7. Pyrrolosporin A shows antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria and it is weakly active against Gram-negative bacteria. Pyrrolosporin A prolongs the life span of mice inoculated with P388 leukemia cells.