A series of novel antibiotics with activity against
methicillin-resistant staphylococci and vanco
mycin-resistant enterococci has been purified, and their structures have been characterized using spectroscopicanalyses and che
mical conversions. These antibiotics, designated
mannopepti
mycins
![](/i<font color=)
mages/gifchars/alpha.gif" BORDER=0>-
![](/i<font color=)
mages/gifchars/epsilon.gif" BORDER=0 > (
1-
5), areglycosylated cyclic hexapeptides containing two stereoiso
mers of an unprecedented a
mino acid,
![](/i<font color=)
mages/gifchars/alpha.gif" BORDER=0>-a
mino-
![](/i<font color=)
mages/gifchars/beta2.gif" BORDER=0 ALIGN="
middle">-[4'-(2'-i
minoi
midazolidinyl)]-
![](/i<font color=)
mages/gifchars/beta2.gif" BORDER=0 ALIGN="
middle">-hydroxypropionic acid (Aiha), as a distinguishing feature. The cyclic peptidecore of these antibiotics is attached to a
mannosyl
monosaccharide
moiety in
2 and to
mannosyl
monosaccharide and disaccharide
moieties in
1,
3,
4, and
5. The presence and position of an isovalerylgroup in the ter
minal
mannose (Man-B) in
3-
5 are critical for retaining antibacterial potency.