Microbial de-mannosylation and mannosylation of teicoplanin derivatives

The single components of the teicoplanin complex, glycopeptide antibiotics active against Gram-positive bacteria, can be converted in the corresponding de-mannosyl derivatives by cultures of Nocardia orientalis NRRL 2450 or Streptomyces candidus NRRL 3218. Conversely, teicoplanin aglycone and other teicoplanin de-mannosyl derivatives can be converted in the corresponding teicoplanin mannosyl derivatives by cultures of Actinoplanes teichomyceticus ATCC 31121. The biological transformation yields are approximately 40% for de-mannosylation and 90% for mannosylation. The processes allow for the preparation of gram quantities of the de-mannosyl derivatives of teicoplanin and of teicoplanin mannosyl derivatives. De-mannosyl teicoplanin and teicoplanin mannosyl-pseudoaglycone were not amenable to preparation by either acidic or basic chemical hydrolysis.