Definition

An enediyne antineoplastic antibiotic hybrid containing an aminoglycoside chromophore. Zinostatin is isolated from the bacterium Streptomyces carzinostaticus. The aminoglycoside component of zinostatin intercalates into DNA and the benzene diradical intermediate of the enediyne core binds to the minor groove of DNA, resulting in single- and double-strand breaks in DNA and apoptosis.