[Biosynthesis of the new antistaphylococcal antibiotic batumin]

Levels of batumin biosynthesis by separate cells of the antibiotic-producing strain were investigated. The strain belongs to the genus Pseudomonas. It was found that the cell population was not homogeneous by that property. There were isolated highly active, active and low active clones. Specific selection of the most active clone made it possible to increase the number of the cells with high levels of the antibiotic biosynthesis in the population from 8.8 to 84.7 per cent. A clone was isolated which formed no zones of the growth inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus 209P. The data showed that the biosynthesis of batumin was genetically unstable which could be indicative of the plasmid localization of the genes controlling its production. However, with the basic methods of the plasmid DNA isolation it was demonstrated that the batumin-producing strain contained no extrachromosomal DNA which indicated to the chromosomal localization of the genetic locus responsible for the antibiotic synthesis.