Kinetic analysis of morphological differentiation and protease production in Streptomyces albidoflavus SMF301

The effects of specific growth rate and specific nutrient uptake rate on morphological differentiation of Streptomyces albidoflavus SMF301 were determined in chemostat cultures. Production of three types of proteases: chymotrypsin-like protease (CTP), trypsin-like protease (TLP) and metalloprotease (MTP) were analysed in relation to mycelium growth and spore formation. Production of CTP was closely linked to mycelium growth, whereas spore formation, TLP synthesis and MTP synthesis were inversely related to growth. Evaluation of various kinetic parameters [specific production rates of spores (q(spo)), TLP (q(TLP)), MTP (q(MTP)) and CTP (q(CTP))] showed that mycelium growth rate and CTP production were optimal at 0.1 h(-1), but submerged spore formation, TLP production and MTP production were optimal at 0.025 h(-1). Changes in specific nutrient uptake rates [glucose (q(glu)), ammonium ion (q(amn)) and phosphate (q(pho))] affected sporulation and protease production; limitation of carbon, nitrogen and phosphate stimulated spore, TLP and MTP production.