The isolation and purification of the elvapeptins: A family of peptide inhibitors of mitochondrial ATPase activity

The mould, Tolypocladium inflatum has been shown to produce the efrapeptins, a family of closely related hydrophobic peptide anitibiotics, which are potent inhibitors of ATPase. It has been reported briefly that under conditions of limited aeration, cultures of T. inflatum produce a second antibiotic activity distinct from the efrapeptins. In this paper, the authors describe the conditions required to produce the elvapeptins together with details of their extraction and purification. The elvapeptins have been shown to be a family of closely related peptides which are potent inhibitors of mitochondrial ATPase activity.