Mycocerein, a novel antifungal peptide antibiotic produced by Bacillus cereus.

A peptide was obtained from culture filtrates of a bacterium which was newly isolated and tentatively named Bacillus cereus SW. The peptide was composed of Asx, Ser, Glx, Leu, Tyr, Pro, and an unknown amino acid in a ratio of 2:1:1:1:1:1:1, but, unless hydrolyzed with HCI, it was ninhydrin reaction negative. The peptide effectively inhibited the growth of all fungi and yeasts so far examined, whereas it inhibited none of the bacteria tested.