Totomycin


Totomycin is an aminoglycoside antibiotic produced by Streptomyces hygroscopicus, first described in the 1950s. The bacteria source is similar to that of hygromycin B from which the name of the compound was derived.

History

Hygromycin A was discovered in a soil sample from a forest near Indianapolis, Indiana in 1953 by Waksman and Henrici. Identification and structure of totomycin wasn't determined until 1957.

Antibiotic activity

The strongest antibiotic activity of totomycin is against Staphylococcus haemolyticus in which growth was inhibited by concentrations of 2 µg/mL. Other gram-positive and gram-negative sensitive to totomycin are inhibited by concentrations from 16 to 31 µg/mL.

Total synthesis

Totomycin has been a successful target in total synthesis since 1989.