GEOSMIN AND RELATED VOLATILES IN BIOREACTOR-CULTURED STREPTOMYCES-CITREUS CBS-109.60

Streptomyces citreus CBS 109.60 produced geosmin and a complex pattern of other volatile compounds during cultivation in a 2.5-liter laborat ory bioreactor, Volatiles were isolated from disrupted cells, from the culture medium, and from the waste air of the bioreactor by adsorptio n on Lewatit OC 1064MD. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were car ried out using capillary gas chromatography and coupled gas chromatogr aphy-mass spectroscopy, S. citreus produced 56 volatile compounds, whi ch were mainly terpenoids but also included aliphatic ketones, alcohol s, esters, pyrazines, furan(on)es, and aromatic types during the growt h phase, The major components were geosmin and a germacradienol, A bio synthetic pathway for geosmin including eudesmanolides is proposed.