SCALING-UP OF PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION OF ANTIBIOTIC OF MYXOCOCCUS-XANTHUS TA

A process for the production of Myxococcus xanthus TA (M. xanthus TA) antibiotic was scaled-up to bench and pilot plant scales. The process includes the following steps: (a) propagation of M. xanthus TA in cultures of up to 750 litres. After 4 days of growth the maximum antibiotic yield achieved was 24 units/ml supernatant, and the highest titres were obtained at a low oxygen absorption rate of 0. 2; (b) processing of the clarified culture supernatant. Two methods were successfully piloted: the chloroform extraction method and the kaolin adsorption method. Both methods were followed by elution with 20% methanol in chloroform. The recoveries of antibiotic activity were 90% and 85% respectively by the two methods. The process described could be used for the large-scale preparation of the novel antibiotic of M. xanthus TA.