[A actinomycete strain C3905 producing antitumor antibiotic sandramycin from Antarctica]

A nocardioform actinomycete strain C3905 was isolated from a soil sample collected in King Geoge island, Antarctica. Its aerial mycelium is white, substrate mycelium is colorless to cream or pink. The hyphae of mycelium 0.5 micron-0.8 micron in diameter and they fragment into irregular rod to coccoid elements with smooth surface. Cell wall type I. The mycolic acids are lacking. Mk-9(H4) is the predominant menaquinone component. Phospholipid type PI. The G + C content of DNA is 68.3-68.9 mol%. Facultative psychrophile. The optimum temperature for growth is 15 degrees C-20 degrees C. Produces antitumor antibiotic sandramycin. Based on the characteristics above as well as the investigation of the molecular genetics. We propose that strain C3905 should be placed in the Nocardioides albus as a variant, named Nocardioides albus var. antarcticus.