Scaling‐up of process for production of antibiotic of Myxococcus xanthus TA

AbstractA process for the production of Myxococcus xanthus TA (M. xanthus TA) antibiotic was scaled‐up to bench and pilot plant scales. The process includes the following steps: (a) propagation of M. xanthus TA in cultures of up to 750 litres. After 4 days of growth the maximum antibiotic yield achieved was 24 units/ml supernatant, and the highest titres were obtained at a low oxygen absorption rate of 0.2; (b) processing of the clarified culture supernatant. Two methods were successfully piloted: the chloroform extraction method and the kaolin adsorption method. Both methods were followed by elution with 20% methanol in chloroform. The recoveries of antibiotic activity were 90% and 85% respectively by the two methods. The process described could be used for the large‐scale preparation of the novel antibiotic of M. xanthus TA.