The actinomycete genus Kitasatospora has a prominent history of producing bioactive compounds, including bafilomycin B1 and bafilomycin A1. One particular compound isolated from Kitasatospora, respirantin, is a cyclodepsipeptide with potential cancer cell growth inhibitory and antifungal/antimicrobial properties. A need exists to isolate and modify...

The promise of marine derived microorganisms as productive sources of new anticancer and antiproliferative drugs continues to expand. Previously, Dr. Pettit and his team isolated and determined the structures of two very potent cancer cell growth inhibitors, cyclodepsipeptides from Bacillus silvestris, carried by a South Pacific crab. Subsequently,...