THE EFFECTS OF SPACE-FLIGHT ON THE PRODUCTION OF MONORDEN BY HUMICOLA-FUSCOATRA WC5157 IN SOLID-STATE FERMENTATION

The effect of space flight on the production of the antibiotic monorde n on two types of agar media, T8 and PG, by Humicola fuscoatra WC5157 was examined on board the US Space Shuttle mission STS-77 in May 1996. Paired space-flight and ground control samples were prepared using id entical hardware, protocol, media, and inoculum. Inoculation occurred simultaneously for both groups 2.5 h after launch. The flight and grou nd samples were allowed to grow for the entire 10-day mission in a dar k, thermally controlled (22 degrees C) environment. Post-flight HPLC a nalysis of the flight and ground sample extracts indicated that the pr oduction of monorden by H. fuscoatra WC5157 in the flight samples was higher than in the ground samples in both agar media. In the T8 medium , the production of monorden in the flight and ground samples was 11.6 +/- 3.5 mu g and 8.9 +/- 1.1 mu g respectively (30% increase). In the PG medium, the production of monorden in the flight and ground sample s was 23.8 +/- 3.3 mu g and 8.2 +/- 2.2 mu g respectively (190% increa se). The production of monorden in the flight and ground control sampl es was confirmed by HPLC-MS analysis.