[Isolation of lipoteichoic acid from Streptomyces levoris]

Lipoteichoic acid was isolated from Streptomyces levoris K-3056 by cold phenol extraction. Its hydrophilic moiety is represented by 1,3-poly(glycerophosphate) whereas the hydrophobic part contains fatty acids among which pentadecanoic, 14-methylpentadecanoic (isopalmitic), palmitic and heptadecanoic acids prevail. Lipoteichoic acid has been found in the Streptomyces genus for the first time. Its overall content in the cells of Streptomyces levoris K-3056 is comparable with that found in other Gram-positive bacteria.