[Isolation of antibiotic-producing Actinomycetes from soil samples exposed to UV light]

The use of nonroutine means in isolation of microorganisms from natural substrates extended the possibilities of detecting new cultures which often appear to be producers of previously unknown antibiotics. A new procedure for isolating actinomyces of definite groups was developed. It implies preliminary exposure of soil suspensions to UV light. With the use of the procedure, 2539 strains of actinomycetes belonging to different genera were isolated. There was a marked decrease after the irradiation in isolation of cultures belonging to Streptomyces, a genus most widely distributed in nature and studied in detail while isolation of cultures belonging to other genera, promising as sources of novel antibiotics, increased. Micromonospora, Amycolatopsis and Nocardia proved to be the most stable to the effect of UV light. With the use of the procedure it is possible to increase 2-3-fold isolation of cultures belonging to Micromonospora, a genus known as a producer of many antibiotics including those used clinically.