Three new antibiotic producing species of the genus Amycolatopsis, Amycolatopsis balhimycina sp nov., A-tolypomycina sp nov., A-vancoresmycina sp nov., and description of Amycolatopsis keratiniphila subsp keratiniphila subsp nov and A-keratiniphila subsp nogabecina subsp nov.

Screening of Indian soils for strains producing antibiotics active against methicillin resistant staphylococci resulted in the isolation of the actinomycetes FH 1894(T), ST 101170(T), and FH 1893(T), producing novel glycopeptide antibiotics and a polyenic compound, respectively. Studies of the cellular fatty acids and the absence of mycolic acids as well as the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis of the producers indicated their membership to the genus Amycolatopsis. Comparison of genomic and metabolic properties of these strains with known species of this genus indicated that they represent new species for which the names Amycolatopsis balhimycina (type strain FH 1894(T), DSM 44591(T)) and Amycolatopsis vancoresmycina (type strain ST 101170(T), DSM 44592(T)) are proposed. The producer of the antibiotic Tolypomycin, strain IFO 14664(T), representing the invalid species Amycolatopsis tolypophorus, was also included in this investigation. As this strain was found to represent a valid species of the genus Amycolatopsis the name Amycolatopsis tolypomycina is proposed for this species, with the type strain ITO 14664(T) (DSM 44544(T)). The producer of the antibiotic Nogabecin, strain FH 1893(T), Was found to be closely related to the type strain of A. keratiniphila DSM 44409(T) which justifies the description of two subspecies of this species, A. keratiniphila subsp. keratiniphila DSM 44409(T) and A. keratiniphila subsp. nogabecina DSM 44586(T).