sorangicin

Sorangicin is a lipopeptide antibiotic produced by the myxobacterium Sorangium cellulosum. It belongs to the group of sorangicin antibiotics, which are characterized by a unique cyclic depsipeptide structure containing a polyketide-derived side chain. The compound was first isolated in the late 1980s.

Sorangicin exhibits potent antimicrobial activity against a range of Gram-positive bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis. Its mechanism of action is believed to involve disruption of bacterial cell membrane integrity. Researchers have also investigated sorangicin for its potential anticancer properties, as it has shown cytotoxic effects against certain human cancer cell lines in vitro.

The biosynthesis of sorangicin involves a large modular enzyme system, known as a nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) and polyketide synthase (PKS) hybrid. This complex machinery assembles the antibiotic from its constituent amino acids and fatty acid precursors. Due to its complex structure and potential therapeutic applications, sorangicin has been a subject of ongoing research in both natural product chemistry and medicinal chemistry. Efforts have been made to elucidate its full biological activity spectrum and explore possibilities for chemical modification to enhance its efficacy or reduce toxicity.