Antibiotic activity of myxobacteria in relation to their bacteriolytic capacity.

Norén, Börge (University of Wisconsin, Madison) and Kenneth B. Raper. Antibiotic activity of myxobacteria in relation to their bacteriolytic capacity. J. Bacteriol. 84:157-162. 1962-Myxococcus virescens, M. fulvus, M. stipitatus, M. lacteus, Chondrococcus blasticus, and Chondromyces crocatus were tested for antibacterial activity, and all were found to secrete products that inhibited the growth of gram-positive eubacteria. The amount of inhibition varied with the myxobacterium employed and with the eubacterium used as a test organism. The growth of gram-negative eubacteria was in no case visibly affected by the antibiotic products. The experiments performed failed to indicate any positive relationship between the antibacterial activity and the bacteriolytic capacity of the six myxobacteria investigated.