The molecule is an amino acid-based antibiotic derived from certain thermophilic fungi; acts as a potent inhibitor of serine palmitoyltransferase, the first step in sphingosine biosynthesis. Myriocin also possesses immunosuppressant activity. It has a role as an antimicrobial agent, an antifungal agent, an immunosuppressive agent, an EC 2.3.1.50 (serine C-palmitoyltransferase) inhibitor, an apoptosis inducer, an antineoplastic agent and a fungal metabolite. It is a sphingoid, an alpha-amino fatty acid and a non-proteinogenic alpha-amino acid.
(E,2S,3R,4R)-2-amino-3,4-dihydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-14-oxoicos-6-enoic acid