MINIATURIZED FERMENTATION IN EPPENDORF TUBES FOR THE DETECTION OF ANTAGONISTIC ACTINOMYCETES

Author(s): Radhakrishnan M, J Priya, R Balagurunathan and Vanaja Kumar

Abstract

Actinomycetes are recognized as a prolific source for bioactive metabolites. Screening adequate number of strains by appropriate high quality screening protocol determines success of drug discovery programs. To accomplish screening for antagonistic actinomycetes at higher rate, the fermentation stage of the initial screening needs to be miniaturized. The present study is attempted for miniaturized production of bioactive compounds from 40 actinomycetes isolated from less explored ecosystems. Actinomycetes were cultivated in eppendorf tubes (2 ml) using 0.5 ml of yeast extract malt extract agar and modified nutrient glucose agar medium for 10 days and extracted using 1 ml of methanol. The crude extracts were tested against S. aureus, B. subtilis and E. coli by disc diffusion method. All the isolates were also tested for antagonistic activity by conventional cross streak method and disc diffusion method using extracts prepared by plate culture method. Crude bioactive compounds produced from five selective isolates by shake flask method showed good activity. Antagonistic activity, requirements, time duration and cost effect of all the three methods were compared. Miniaturized production process in eppendorf tubes was found to be more advantageous and suitable to develop as high throughput screening (HTS) method for the detection of antagonistic actinomycetes particularly in resource poor laboratories settings.

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