Development of a bioprocess for the production of actinomycin-D

Abstract

S. parvulus was selected from three species of Streptomyces that produce actinomycins, as it has the greatest antibiotic activity (152 mg/L) and produces only actinomycin-D. Aiming at improving the antibiotic production in shaken flasks, the substitution of glucose by fructose in concentrations of 20, 30 and 40 g/L was investigated. In all cases this replacement led to an increase in the antibiotic production, reaching a maximum concentration of 635 mg/L for an initial fructose concentration of 30 g/L. In experiments conducted in a bioreactor at different degrees of aeration (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 vvm) and stirring speeds (300 and 500 rpm), it was found that the greatest antibiotic production (1530 mg/L) occurred with a aeration of 1.5 vvm and a stirring speed of 500 rpm. The fermented medium showed the rheological behavior of a pseudoplastic fluid.