Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the production of compounds of the formula ##STR1## in which R is hydrogen or optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl, aralkyl or aryl, by microbiological transformation of ##STR2## follow by catalytic hydrogenation. The compounds obtained are useful for the treatment of diabetes, hyperlipoproteinaemia and adiposity which comprises aerobically cultivates, in the presence of an assimilable source of carbon nitrogen, at a temperature of 20.degree. to 45.degree. C. and pH between 2 and 10 and in the presence of an effective amount of a compound of the formula ##STR3## in which R has the above-given meaning and,R.sub.1 denotes an optionally substituted benzyl radical or an optionally substituted .beta.-alkenyl group,an aerobic microorganism or an extract of aerobic microorganism capable, in a nutrient medium containing a compound of the formula (X), or accumulating an amount of a compound of the formula ##STR4## in which R and R.sub.

Abstract: A new subspecies of Streptomyces nigellus Prokop, designated Streptomyces nigellus Prokop subsp. africanus Huang subsp. nov. ATCC 31496, when propagated under aerobic conditions in aqueous nutrient media, produces a mixture of antibiotics. One of these antibiotics is the known macrolide antibiotic cirramycin A; the ansamycin antibiotic is an analogue of protostreptovaricin and the structure has been established as 21-hydroxy, 25-demethyl, 25-methylthioprotostreptovaricin I.

Abstract: 2-Hydroxymethyl-3,4,5-trihydroxy piperidine, or moranoline, is prepared by culturing a moranoline-producing strain of microorganism of the genus Streptomyces in an appropriate culture medium and thereafter isolating moranoline from the culture medium.