Formation of Phosphinothricin from Phosalacine by Cell-free Extracts from B . subtilis and Spinach

Phosalacine, a new herbicidal antibiotic containing phosphinothricin was isolated from the culture filtrate of a soil isolate Kitasatosporia phosalacinea KA-338. It was a water soluble, amphoteric compound obtained as an amorphous powder (C14H28N306P, MW 365). The antibiotic exhibited antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and some fungi on a minimal medium and the activity was reversed by L-glutamine. It also showed herbicidal activity against alfalfa. It is suggested that phosalacine was decomposed to provide phosphinothricin after its incorporation into microbial or plant cells, and exhibited the antimicrobial and herbicidal activities by inhibiting glutamine synthetase with phosphinothricin although phosalacine itself hardly inhibited the enzyme.