Enhancement of mycinamicin production by dotriacolide in Micromonospora griseorubida

Production of macrolide antibiotic mycinamicin was greatly increased by addition of sulfate ion into the culture medium of Micromonospora griseorubida. An O-sulfate ester compound, also produced by the strain, was shown to be dotriacolide. In an M. griseorubida dotriacolide non-producing strain, the production level of mycinamicin remained low, but increased to the level of dotriacolide producing strain by the addition of dotriacolide. Dotriacolide enhanced mycinamicin production in M. griseorubida by the formation of micelles with mycinamicin. As a result, dotriacolide played a critical role in mycinamicin production in M. griseorubida.