THE EFFECT OF AGITATION RATE ON LIPID UTILIZATION AND CLAVULANIC ACIDPRODUCTION IN STREPTOMYCES-CLAVULIGERUS

Many industrial bioprocesses use complex medium containing both carboh ydrate and oils as carbon sources. Oil supplements may lead to increas ed antibiotic titre and can be a cheaper alternative carbon source com pared to carbohydrates. The major disadvantage to the use of oils in t he process medium is the level of oil remaining at the end of the proc ess. Research has been undertaken to examine the effects of stirrer sp eed on lipid utilisation and clavulanic acid production in 5-1 batch c ultivation of Streptomyces clavuligerus. Increasing tip speed from 1.8 8 to 2.83 m s(-1) improved biomass production while 3.77 m s(-1) was d etrimental to growth. Lipase activity decreased with increasing stirre r speeds. An optimum tip speed was found for clavulanic acid productio n. Tip speed did not significantly alter the rate of lipid utilisation or the total lipid remaining at the end of the process. (C) 1998 Else vier Science B.V. All rights reserved.