Isolation and structural characterization of siderophores, madurastatins, produced by a pathogenic Actinomadura madurae

Madurastatins A1 (1), A2 (2) and A3 (3), novel pentapeptides that were acylated with salicylic acid at the N-terminus, were isolated from the culture broth of a pathogenic Actinomadura madurae IFM 0745 strain. These structures were mainly determined by 2D NMR and MS/MS spectral techniques. The strain produced simultaneously madurastatins B1 (4) and B2 (5) consisting of Ser and salicylic acid moieties. Compounds 1 and 4 had an antibacterial activity against Micrococcus luteus, indicating that the presence of the aziridine ring is essential, for such activity. Because 1 has a strong affinity with ferric ion due to the presence of two hydroxamic acids and a salicylic acid, it is considered to be a siderophore that is a low molecular weight iron chelater. The production of siderophores may be one of the characteristics of pathogenic microorganisms.