CHAPTER 5
The Comparative Biochemistry of Antibiosis
and Antibiotics
MAURICE WELSCH
Laboratory of General and Medical Microbiology, University of Liege
and C.N.P.E.M., Liege, Belgium
I. General Considerations
253
A. Antibiosis
253
B. Antibiotics
256
C. The Comparative Point of View
259
II. Comparative Study of Individual Antibiotics
262
A. Antibiotics Wholly or Partially Derivable from Sugars
.
.
. 262
B. Antibiotics Wholly or Partially Derivable from Amino Acids .
. 272
C. Antibiotics Wholly or Partially Derivable from Acetate or Propionate 302
III. Conclusions
332
References
336
I. General Considerations
About 1942, the need was felt for a general name covering the many
and diverse substances that were then being extracted in increasing
number from microbial cultures and found to possess the capacity of
either killing or inhibiting the growth of specific microorganisms. A particular designation was especially required as a heading for the section
dealing with them in scientific abstracting journals.
The name antibiotic was proposed by Waksman (I, 2) and rapidly
obtained wide recognition. In fact, none of the other names proposed,
such as mycoines or fongines, ever was in serious competition with it.
Antibiotic, as a substantive, does not seem to have been used previously (3, 4), although, as an adjective, it appeared occasionally in the
scientific literature and, in fact, was even defined in Gould's medical
dictionary (5) as "pertaining to antibiosis, tending to destroy life."
A. ANTIBIOSIS
From its Greek roots (αντί: against; ßw. life), antibiosis might cover
all the phenomena involving the very many and extremely diverse agents
253
The Comparative Biochemistry of Antibiosis
and Antibiotics
MAURICE WELSCH
Laboratory of General and Medical Microbiology, University of Liege
and C.N.P.E.M., Liege, Belgium
I. General Considerations
253
A. Antibiosis
253
B. Antibiotics
256
C. The Comparative Point of View
259
II. Comparative Study of Individual Antibiotics
262
A. Antibiotics Wholly or Partially Derivable from Sugars
.
.
. 262
B. Antibiotics Wholly or Partially Derivable from Amino Acids .
. 272
C. Antibiotics Wholly or Partially Derivable from Acetate or Propionate 302
III. Conclusions
332
References
336
I. General Considerations
About 1942, the need was felt for a general name covering the many
and diverse substances that were then being extracted in increasing
number from microbial cultures and found to possess the capacity of
either killing or inhibiting the growth of specific microorganisms. A particular designation was especially required as a heading for the section
dealing with them in scientific abstracting journals.
The name antibiotic was proposed by Waksman (I, 2) and rapidly
obtained wide recognition. In fact, none of the other names proposed,
such as mycoines or fongines, ever was in serious competition with it.
Antibiotic, as a substantive, does not seem to have been used previously (3, 4), although, as an adjective, it appeared occasionally in the
scientific literature and, in fact, was even defined in Gould's medical
dictionary (5) as "pertaining to antibiosis, tending to destroy life."
A. ANTIBIOSIS
From its Greek roots (αντί: against; ßw. life), antibiosis might cover
all the phenomena involving the very many and extremely diverse agents
253