Promomycin, a polyether promoting antibiotic production in Streptomyces spp.

Widespread interspecific stimulation of antibiotic production occurs in strains of Streptomyces owing to the activity of diffusible substances, as previously determined in our investigations of the cross-feeding effect. In this study, we newly isolated a substance produced by a Streptomyces strain closely related to Streptomyces scabrisporus, based on the observation that this substance induced the production of an unknown antibiotic in another strain related to Streptomyces griseorubiginosus. This substance, named promomycin, is a polyether structurally related to lonomycin. Promomycin itself had an antibiotic activity, but it stimulated antibiotic production in multiple Streptomyces strains at sub-inhibitory concentrations. Evidence implies that this stimulation effect is widespread within this group of bacteria.