REGULATION OF BIOSYNTHESIS OF SECONDARY METABOLITES .9. BIOSYNTHETIC ACTIVITY OF BLOCKED MUTANTS OF STREPTOMYCES AUREOFACIENS

The biosynthetic activity of mutants with altered morphological and biochemical characteristics, obtained from two strains of Streptomyces aureofaciens by means of physical and chemical mutagens, was studied. The majority of mutants formed pigments different from pigments of the parent strains, which did not usually give fluorescence in UV-light and, in addition, differed as to the solubility in organic solvents. The production of further secondary metabolites was investigated chromatographically in the extracts from mycelium and in the fermentation fluid of submerged cultures. According to the results of chromatographical analysis, the obtained mutants can be divided into 12 metabolic types. In most of them the production of substances was found which are different both mutually and from the metabolites of parent strains in physical and chemical properties. A direct correlation was observed between the character of colonies and biosynthetic properties of mutants. © 1969 Academia, nakladatelství Československé akademie věd.