Chrysomycin A is the major analogue in a complex of C-glycoside antitumour actives isolated from Streptomyces. Chrysomycin A, with a vinyl group in the 8-position, is the most potent analogue of the complex, and is thought to act as an inhibitor of the catalytic activity of human topoisomerase II. Chrysomyin A has a potent antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and antitumour profile. More recent research on related metabolites, the gilvocarcins, suggests that chrysomycins may act as photoactivated, crosslinkers of DNA to histones.
