The growing need of highly potent anticancer agents has stimulated the investigation of streptomycetes producing daunomycin-type anthracyclines. This review compares the features of production strains and their mutants and emphasizes the necessity of application of biochemical and biophysical analytical methods for better understanding these microorganisms and, above all, their further improving and practical usage.

• MeSH
• Biotransformation MeSH
• Daunorubicin biosynthesis   history   MeSH
• History, 20th Century MeSH
• Mutation MeSH
• Antibiotics, Antineoplastic biosynthesis   history   MeSH
• Streptomyces genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Check Tag
• History, 20th Century MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Historical Article MeSH
• Review MeSH
• Comparative Study MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Daunorubicin MeSH
• Antibiotics, Antineoplastic MeSH

The ability to transorm biologically exogenous daunomycinone, 13-dihydrodaunomycinone, aklavinone, 7-deoxyaklavinone, epsilon-rhodomycinone, epsilon-isorhodomycinone and epsilon-pyrromycinone was studied in submerged cultures of the following strains: wild Streptomyces coeruleorubidus JA 10092 (W1) and its improved variants 39-146 and 84-17 (type P1) producing glycosides of daunomycinone and of 13-dihydrodaunomycinone, together with epsilon-rhodomycinone, 13-dihydrodaunomycinone and 7-deoxy-13-dihydrodaunomycinone; in five mutant types of S. coeruleorubidus (A, B, C, D, E) blocked in the biosynthesis of glycosides and differing in the production of free anthracyclinones; in the wild Streptomyces galilaeus JA 3043 (W2) and its improved variant G-167 (P2) producing glycosides of epsilon-pyrromycinone and of aklavinone together with 7-deoxy and bisanhydro derivatives of both aglycones; in two mutant types S. galilaeus (F and G) blocked in biosynthesis of glycosides and differing in the occurrence of anthracyclinones. The following bioconversions were observed: daunomycinone leads to 13-dihydrodaunomycinone and 7-deoxy-13-dihydrodaunomycinone (all strains); 13-dihydrodaunomycinone leads to 7-deoxy-13-dihydrodaunomycinone (all strains); daunomycinone or 13-dihydrodaunomycinone leads to glycosides of daunomycinone and of 13-dihydrodaunomycinone, identical with metabolites W1 and P1 (type A), or only a single glycoside of daunomycinone (type E); aklavinone leads to epsilon-rhodomycinone (types A and B); aklaviinone leads to 7-deoxyaklavinone and bisanhydroaklavinone (type C); epsilon-rhodomycinone leads to zeta-rhodomycinone (types C, E); epsilon-rhodomycinone leads to glycosides of epsilon-rhodomycinone (types W2, P2); epsilon-isorhodomycinone leads to glycosides of epsilon-isorhodomycinone (types W2, P2); epsilon-pyrromycinone leads to a glycoside of epsilon-pyrromycinone (types W1, P1). 7-Deoxyaklavinone remained intact in all tests. Exogenous daunomycinone suppressed the biosynthesis of its own glycosides in W1 and P1; it simultaneously increased the production of epsilon-rhodomycinone in P1.

• MeSH
• Biotransformation MeSH
• Daunorubicin analogs & derivatives   metabolism   MeSH
• Streptomyces metabolism   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Daunorubicin MeSH