Tatumine, a peptide from Bacillus brevis Vm4-572-403.

The mutant 572-403 of Bacillus brevis Vm4 was isolated from N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitroso guanidine (nitrosoguanidine)-treated cultures of the parental strain. The mutant produces tatumine and edeine B when grown in a defined medium at 40 degrees C. Tatumine is composed of spermidine, glycine, isoserine, and an unidentified ninhydrin-positive compound; it has a molecular weight of less than 730 d (edeine A).

Inactive form of edeine in the edeine-producing Bacillus brevis Vm 4 cells.

1. Exogenous edeine inhibits the synthesis of DNA and protein, but not that of RNA, in extracts of edeine-producing Bacillus brevis Vm 4 cells. This is analogous to the effect of edeine on extracts obtained from edeine-sensitive cells.

Biosynthesis of edeine: II. Localization of edeine synthetase within Bacillus brevis Vm4.

Edeine-synthesizing polyenzymes, associated with a complex of sytoplasmic membrane and DNA, were obtained from gently lysed cells of Bacillus brevis Vm4. The polyenzymes-membrane-DNA complex, isolated from dells intensively synthesizing edeines (18--20 h culture) contained edeine B. Edeine B was found to be bound covalently t o the edeine synthetase.