[Experience with studying suspension media in actinomycete lyophilization]

Viability, cultural features and antibiotic-production properties of the organisms producing tetracycline, chlortetracycline, erythromycin, neomycin, oxytetracycline and polymyxin were studied after their storage for 2 years in ampoules at a temperature of 4--10 degrees in lyophilized state with the use of sodium glutamate, polyvinylpyrrolidone, their combination and horse serum. The highest growth rate was observed in most of the cultures lyophilized in sodium glutamate. The growth of the cultures lyophilized in the solution of polyvinylpyrrolidone alone was mainly scanty or moderate. The antibiotic production level in some strains lyophilized in sodium glutamate or its combination with polyvinylpyrrolidone was after storage for 2 years somewhat higher than that in the control. The cultural features, i.e. the colour of the aerial and substrate mycelium and pigment secretion did not significantly differ in the lyophilized cultures and the cultures maintained on agarized media.