STUDIES ON THE UTILIZATION OF LIPIDS BY STREPTOMYCES GRISEUS

Abstract

Lipids including animal and vegetable oils may be used as replacements for glucose in media for the cultivation of anti-biotic-producing S. griseus cultures without reduction in anti-biotic production. Best results (as measured by antibiotic pro-duction) were obtained when this substitution was made on a caloric rather than on a wt. basis. Metabolic studies suggest that the lipids are matabolized completely to CO2, with only traces of acids (acetic and lactic) accumulating. Antibiotic production on media containing lipid[long dash]glucose mixtures was lower than that obtained when either glucose or lipid were used alone. Cells grown on lipid-containing media were able to metabolize glucose without prior adaptation. Esterification of fatty acids (lauric, stearic, oleic, palmitic) did not affect the rate of utilization by the actinomycete, and lowered the toxicity of lauric acid. This replacement of carbohydrates by lipids did not affect antibiotic production by the actinomycetes producing neomycin, aureomycin, streptothricin, or chloramphenicol.