Response surface analysis of chlortetracycline and tetracycline production with K-carrageenan immobilized Streptomyces aureofaciens

A full-factorial experimental design at three levels with two independent variables, carrageenan concentration (1.0, 1.5, and 2.0%) and potassium chloride concentration (0.3, 0.7, and 1.1 M) was studied in order to analyze the effect of both factors on the antibiotic production of K-carrageenan-immobilized mycelia of Streptomyces aureofaciens. The response surfaces obtained have indicated that both carrageenan and potassium chloride concentrations have a pronounced effect on the yield of chlortetracycline (CTC) and tetracycline (TC) produced by S. aureofaciens. By exclusively varying the immobilization conditions, the tetracycline production can be enhanced more than eight times (12.3 mg g(-1) biomass for immobilized cells vs. 1.5 mg g(-1) biomass for free cells) in comparison with free-cell mycelial cultures. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc.