A myxobacterium strain Sorangium cellulosum AHB125 producing epothilone B and other anticancer substances

Abstract

A myxobacterium strain AHB125 belonging to genus Sorangium cellulosum was isolated from Anhui area in China and identified with morphological analysis by electron microscopy and phase contrast microscope according to Bergey's manual of systematic bacteriology (8th Ed.). Its high-antitumor bioactivity metabolites was evaluated by bioassay-directed screening technique with B16 tumor cell line etc. Research results showed that it exhibited not only strong antitumor ability bioactivities and broad-spectrum antitumor abilities to B16, Bel7402, H446, SGC7901 cell lines, but also has selectivity and pertinence to B16 and SGC7901 cell lines. The compound was confirmed as epothilone B by HPLC and LC/MS analysis, compared to the epothilone B standard sample. Bioassay indicated that there were other high-bioactive substances in the metabolites.

Keywords:

• Fruiting body
• Sorangium cellulosum
• AHB125
• Secondary metabolites
• Cytotoxicity
• Epothilone B

Acknowledgements

We sincerely like to thank Prof. Y.H. Ma and Ms Y. Zeng (Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing) for identification of the bacteria.