Isolation and nature of intracellular peptides from a cephalosporin C-producing Cephalosporium sp

Abstract

1. Three peptides containing α-aminoadipic acid and cysteine have been obtained in small amounts from the mycelium of a Cephalosporium sp. 2. The peptides were precipitated as cuprous mercaptides together with glutathione and resolved from the latter and from each other by preparative paper electrophoresis and chromatography either in the sulphonic acid form or as S-sulphonyl derivatives. From the S-sulphonyl derivatives they were obtained in the thiol form. 3. One peptide (P3) was shown by amino acid analysis and the mass spectrum of the NS-ethoxycarbonyl derivative of its methyl ester to be δ-(l-α-aminoadipyl)-l-cysteinyl-d-valine. A second peptide (P2) contained α-aminoadipic acid, cysteine, valine and glycine, and the third peptide (P1) contained α-aminoadipic acid, cysteine, β-hydroxyvaline and glycine.