The development of new antibiotics is of worldwide importance due to constant outbreaks of multidrug-resistant superbugs. It is therefore our goal to develop a procedure for efficient preparation of myxin from the bacterial culture of Lysobacter antibioticus OH13. Myxin is an aromatic N-oxide-containing antibiotic that has been in use for decades. The core structure of myxin is its phenazine moiety, a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound that is an important pharmacophore for antitumor activity. It is known that myxin inhibits DNA and RNA synthesis, however its exact mechanism of action remains unclear. In order to explore the mechanism of action of myxin, we attempted to develop a protocol for high-yield production and preparation of myxin. The initial aim is to identify conditions for high-yield myxin production in Lysobacter antibioticus OH13. This is achieved through screening separate media, including 10% TSB, MT, R2A, and NB, under varied growth conditions of time, as well as glucose and salt concentrations. We then purify the compound using various chromatographic methods. Once a sufficient amount of pure myxin is obtained, it can be used to determine its activity in DNA/RNA degradation in vitro.

Optimization of myxin production from Lysobacter antibioticus OH13 to study the antibiotic’s mechanism of action

251st National Meeting (2016)

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