THE BIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF 3,6-EPIDITHIADIKETOPIPERAZINES: INHIBITION OF GROWTH OF BACILLUS SUBTILIS BY GLIOTOXINS, SPORIDESMINS, AND CHETOMIN

Abstract

The ability of chetomin and the sporidesmin and gliotoxin groups of fungal metabolites to inhibit the growth of Bacillus subtilis (HLX 373) has been examined. With the exception of gliotoxin dibenzoate, compounds having the 3,6-epidithiadiketopiperazine structure, when added to the culture medium before inoculation, increased the lag phase of growth; this increase was influenced by the number of organisms in the inoculum and the concentration of the metabolite. When the disulfide bridge was eliminated chemically, the resulting degradation products were biologically inactive.