Studies on the cephalosporin C fermentation

Abstract

Cephalosporin C have become one of the most important and widely used antibiotics because of its clinical and medical efficacy of its derivatives. Using the strain of Cephalosporium acremonium ATCC 14553, important factors in this fermentation were studied for the ultimate purpose of developing the process technology for cephalosporin C production. The factors that had been studied were : 1) Identification of its products. 2) Selection of carbon and nitrogen sources. 3) The effect of methionine. 4) Fermentation variables in a batch fermentation. 5) Adsorbent effect. 6) The effect of reuse of its cellular biomass as a reusable nutrient. 7) 2.4-Dinitrophenol effect on the cephalosporin C production. Three compounds produced by this organism were identified by T.L.C. technique. As a carbon and nitrogen sources, sucrose, corn steep liquor, and soytone were selected for the cell growth and antibiotic production. The optimum concentration of DL-methionine was 0.5%. In the batch fermentation experiment, the PH, SP. OUR, D.C.W, and the concentration of cephalosporin C vs. fermentation time were followed up to check. Regarding to submerged mold fermentation, adsorbents (e.g. charcoal, bentonite, etc.) were tested. Charcoal, bentonite, and methylcellulose had the positive effect on the production of cephalosporin C in the concentration range of 0.1 - 0.5%. As a reusable nutrient, treated microbial biomass had an effect on the cephalosporin C production. 2,4-Dinitrophenol as a compound of decoupling agent of electron transport system did not have a positive effect on the cephalosporin C production steadily.