The antibiotic cerulenin, a novel tool for biochemistry as an inhibitor of fatty acid synthesis.

One ofthe most versatile uses of antibiotics is as potent drugs for clinical application. In recent years, attention has also been paid to agricultural uses of antibiotics, such as for feed additives for protecting plants and livestock against infectious diseases and for accelerating their growth. They are also used as food additives to retain freshness for an extended period. The usefulness of antibiotics is not limited only to our daily needs, but also encompasses our research interests: they offer us remarkable experimental devices for biochemistry novel biochemical tools, which have made a significant contribution to progress in this field (18). Cerulenin, an antibiotic discovered by Hata et al. in 1960, was originally found as an antifungal antibiotic (30). Studies of its mode of action have revealed that it specifically inhibits the biosynthesis of fatty acids and sterols involving yeasts (55, 56). It should be particularly noted that such specificity of cerulenin has been used by investigators in various fields of biochemistry. In this connection, the present review deals with studies, which have hitherto been reported, on the production, isolation, structure, and mode of action of cerulenin and its application as a biochemical tool. Unfortunately, the instability of the antibiotic in the animal body prevents its use in therapy as an antimicrobial agent or as an antilipogenic agent.