Streptomyces coelicolor increases the production of undecylprodigiosin when interacted with Bacillus subtilis.

PURPOSE OF WORK: Undecylprodigiosin has antimicrobial, immunosuppressive and anticancer properties. Pure cultures of Streptomyces coelicolor produce only low concentrations of undecylprodigiosin. We have therefore sought to increase this by interacting the cells with a bacterium. When interacted with live or heat-killed cells of Bacillus subtilis, Streptomyces coelicolor A3 (2), increased undecylprodigiosin production in shake-flasks and in a 2 l bioreactor. An inoculum of 2.5% (v/v) B. subtilis containing 10(8) cells/ml added at the beginning of the S. coelicolor culture gave the best results for undecylprodigiosin production. In the shake-flasks, the increase was 175-211% and in the bioreactor, 256% in comparison to the pure cultures of S. coelicolor.