Hygromycin A

Totomycin (also known as hygromycin A) is an aminoglycoside antibiotic produced by Streptomyces hygroscopicus, first described in the 1950s. The bacteria source is similar to that of hygromycin B from which the name of the compound was derived. Totomycin (also known as hygromycin A) is an aminoglycoside antibiotic produced by Streptomyces hygroscopicus, first described in the 1950s. The bacteria source is similar to that of hygromycin B from which the name of the compound was derived. Hygromycin A was discovered in a soil sample from a forest near Indianapolis, Indiana in 1953 by Waksman and Henrici. Identification and structure of totomycin wasn't determined until 1957. The strongest antibiotic activity of totomycin is against Staphylococcus haemolyticus in which growth was inhibited by concentrations of 2 µg/mL. Other gram-positive and gram-negative sensitive to totomycin are inhibited by concentrations from 16 to 31 µg/mL. Totomycin has been a successful target in total synthesis since 1989.