Sparsomycin is a nucleotide analogue produced by Streptomyces sparsogenes isolated by researchers at Upjohn (now Pfizer) in 1962. Sparsomycin binds to the 50S ribosomal subunit and inhibits protein synthesis via peptidyl transferase inhibition. Sparsomycin is very active against κβ human epidermoid carcinoma cells in tissue cultures and moderately active against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi. The biosynthesis of Sparsomycin has been extensively studied.