Thiolutin is a sulfur-containing antibiotic, which is a potent inhibitor of bacterial and yeast RNA polymerases. It was found to inhibit in vitro RNA synthesis directed by all three yeast RNA polymerases (I, II, and III). Thiolutin is also an inhibitor of mannan

Mannan

Mannan is a plant polysaccharide that is a polymer of the sugar mannose.Detection of mannan leads to lysis in the mannan-binding lectin pathway.It is generally found in yeast, bacteria and plants. It shows α linkage. It is a form of storage polysaccharide.-See Also:Mannan Oligosaccharides...

 and glucan

Glucan

A glucan molecule is a polysaccharide of D-glucose monomers linked by glycosidic bonds.Many beta-glucans are medically important.-Types:The following are glucans:-Alpha:...

 formation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a species of yeast. It is perhaps the most useful yeast, having been instrumental to baking and brewing since ancient times. It is believed that it was originally isolated from the skin of grapes...

and used for the analysis of mRNA stability. Studies have shown that thiolutin inhibits adhesion of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) to vitronectin

Vitronectin

Vitronectin also known as VTN is a protein that in humans is encoded by the VTN gene.The protein encoded by this gene is a member of the pexin family...

 and thus suppresses tumor cell-induced angiogenesis in vivo.

Thiolutin is formed in submerged fermentation

Industrial fermentation

Industrial fermentation is the intentional use of fermentation by microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi to make products useful to humans. Fermented products have applications as food as well as in general industry.- Food fermentation :...

 by several strains of Streptomycetes luteosporeus

Streptomyces

Streptomyces is the largest genus of Actinobacteria and the type genus of the family Streptomycetaceae. Over 500 species of Streptomyces bacteria have been described. As with the other Actinobacteria, streptomycetes are gram-positive, and have genomes with high guanine and cytosine content...

. Some sources erroneously specify "aureothricin" as a synonym of thiolutin. Aureothricin is an antibiotic very similar to thiolutin, and is created as a by-product during the thiolutin fermentation.