Discovery, isolation and structure of novel cephamycins of Streptomyces chartreusis

By the use of HPLC technique after treatment with beta-lactamases, two novel cephamycins, SF-1623 and SF-1623B, were discovered and isolated from the fermentation broth of Streptomyces chartreusis SF-1623. The structures of SF-1623 and SF-1623B were determined to contain 3-sulfothiomethyl and 3-hydroxymethyl groups respectively, by chemical and enzymatic transformation reactions. Studies on the fermentation condition and process for the large scale preparation of antibiotic SF-1623 are also described.