Author:
Cook R. P.,Brown Margaret B.
Abstract
SynopisExtracts of green peas stimulate penicillin formation byPenicillium notatum, and fractions have been prepared by treating the juice with ethanol to find the constituents present which have a stimulating action. The mould has been grown as a surface culture on a basal medium containing NaNO3, KH2PO4, MgSO4, NaCl and lactose to which the various fractions have been added. One chemically complex fraction containing a large number of amino acids (demonstrated by paper partition chromatography and estimated micro-biologically), carbohydrates and mineral matter (containing a number of trace elements) gives high yields of penicillin. The types of penicillin produced on this medium have been determined by micro-chromatography.Chemically defined media have been formulated, and information has been obtained on the sources of carbon and nitrogen that permit growth and penicillin formation.The amounts of carbohydrate and salts in the medium influence the formation of penicillin. Excess of carbohydrates such as glucose cause an increase in growth of the mould and a decrease in the production of penicillin.The significance of the results in relation to the formation of penicillin is discussed.
Publisher
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Subject
Electrical and Electronic Engineering,Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Reference54 articles.
1. The Effect of Specific Amino Acids on the Yield of Penicillin in Submerged Culture
2. Determination of N in Relatively Simple Compounds;Phillips;Plant Physiol,1935
3. The Chemistry of Penicillin;Behrens;Biosynthesis,1949
4. Preparation of penicillin. Improved method of isolation
5. Barton-Wright E. C. Practical Methods for the Microbiological Assay of the Vitamin B Complex and Essential Amino Acids, London, Ashe Laboratories Ltd.