OPTIMIZATION OF FERMENTATION CONDITIONS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A NOVELGABA-BENZODIAZEPINE RECEPTOR AGONIST BY ACREMONIUM-STRICTUM

The production of XR368, a novel GABA-benzodiazepine receptor agonist, has been optimised through manipulation of the medium composition and fermentation conditions leading to an increase in product titre from 1 to 100 mg L(-1). Key steps in the optimisation process were the sele ction of carbon and nitrogen sources, and the optimisation of the C:N ratio and medium concentration. Furthermore, downstream processing has been facilitated through the introduction of a detergent treatment st ep which results in the release of over 90% of the desired product int o the extracellular environment, avoiding the need to process both bio mass and liquor fractions.