Department of Biotechnology, NIT, Warangal, Telangana, India

Centre for Biotechnology, JNT University, Hyderabad, india

Optimization of media components for maximal biomass production of a Streptomyces sp. involved in the bioconversion of arteannuin B to artemisinin, a potential antimalarial drug has been studied by Response Surface Methodology (RSM). A 2⁴ full-factorial central composite design was chosen to explain the combined effects of the five medium constituents, viz. malt extract, yeast extract, K₂HPO₄, MgCl₂ and NaCl. A second order full polynomial equation was developed by applying multiple regression analysis to the experimental data. The coefficient of determination (R²) of the model was 0.8630. The linear effects of malt extract (p < 0.004156), yeast extract (p < 0.001355) and MgSO₄ (p < 0.001355) and multiple effects of K₂HPO₄ (p < 0.005575) were found to be more significant than other factors, i.e., (p < 0.05) from the results of analysis of variance and regression of a second order model. The optimized media composition for maximal biomass production consisted of malt extract 19.1732 (g/l); yeast extract, 6.3287 (g/l); K₂HPO₄, 0.941 (g/l); MgSO₄, 0.60895 (g/l) and NaCl, 0.53667 (g/l).  Our studies further indicate that the increase in biomass has increased the protein concentration and bioconversion activity of the crude extract of  Streptomyces sp.

Keywords: Artemisinin, Arteanuin B, Bioconversion