Bioactive metabolites from microorganisms

UNCW Author/Contributor (non-UNCW co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Allison K. Drummond (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW )
Web Site: http://library.uncw.edu/
Advisor
Eve Wright

Abstract: Secondary metabolites produced by microorganisms were isolated and identified. These metabolites are not essential for the growth of the producing culture, are usually synthesized as closely related members of a chemical family and include compounds that act as hormones, antibiotics and toxins. In the first chapter, actinomycetes were isolated from local marine sediments and cultivated in order to determine bioactive metabolites of interest. Broad spectrum antibiotic compounds produced as constitutional isomers were isolated from a strain identified as Streptomyces malaysiensis. Additionally, a family of compounds which selectively inhibited Mycobacterium smegamatis, a surrogate test organism used in the discovery of tuberculosis treatments, were isolated from a strain identified as Streptomyces fimicarius. In the second chapter, microcystin-LR, a potent liver toxin, and its derivatives were isolated from laboratory cultures of Microcystis aeruginosa. During the isolation of these toxic metabolites, additional unrelated peptides belonging to the microginin class of cyanopeptide metabolites were isolated and identified. Structural determination of these five cyanopeptides revealed unique structural features including the amino acid methionine, various sites of methylation on the modified octanoic acid chain and the first tripeptide microginin.

Additional Information

Publication
Thesis
A Thesis Submitted to the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Masters of Science
Language: English
Date: 2009
Keywords
Metabolites--Analysis, Microbial metabolites--Analysis, Microcystins, Microcystis aeruginosa
Subjects
Microcystins
Microcystis aeruginosa
Metabolites -- Analysis
Microbial metabolites -- Analysis

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