Nikkomycin Z is a natural product, a nucleoside-type antibiotic isolated from Steptomyces tendae in the mid-1970s. Nikkomycin Z has potent narrow-spectrum activity against some fungi, including Rhizopus cirdinans, Colletrotrichum trifolii and Botrytis cinerea (MIC 1, 5 and 5 µg/mL) and Coccidioides species, the causal agent of coccidioidomycosis. Nikkomycin Z in combination with caspofungin or micafungin is synergistic against Candida albicans and Candida parapsilosis biofilms. Renewed interest in Nikkomycin Z studies should expand our understanding of fungal physiology.
| Molecular Formula | C20H25N5O10 |
| Mechanism of Action | Nikkomycin is a competitive inhibitor of chitin-synthase and disrupts the fungal cell wall. Since chitin is absent in mammalian cells, this compound targets pathogens only. |
| Microbiology Applications |
Nikkomycin Z has in vivo activity against Coccidiodes immitis, the causative agent of coccidioidomycosis (Valley Fever) with most cases occurring in California and Arizona. Nikkomycin A is active against Histoplasma capsulatum in vitro and in vivo. It combination, a chitin synthase inhibitor coupled with a different antifungal agent can be synergistic against a range of medically important fungi, notably Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus. |
| References |
Dahn et al (1976) Stoffwechselprodukte von mikroorganismen 154. Mitteilung. Nikkomycin, ein neuer hemmstoff der chitinsynthese bei pilzen. Arch. Microbiol. 107:143 Ki RK and Rinaldi MG (1999) In vitro antifungal activity on nikkomycin Z in combination with fluconazole or itraconazole. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 43: 1401 Kovacs R et al (2019) Synergistic effect of nikkomycin Z with caspofungin and micafungin against Candida albicans and Candida parapsilosis biofilms. Lett. Appl. Microbiol. 69:271 Larwood DJ (2020) Nikkomycin Z-Ready to meet the promise? J Fungi (Basel) 6(4):261 |
