Optimization of cultivation medium and fermentation parameters for lincomycin production by Streptomyces lincolnensis

Production of lincomycin by Streptomyces lincolnensis was studied by varying medium composition and environmental conditions. With the medium composition optimized by statistical experimental design (45 g/L soluble starch, 15 g/L sugar cane molasses, 13.33 g/L peptone water, 6.67 g/L NaNO₃ and 4.0 g/L CaCO₃), lincomycin production increased by 2 ∼ 3 fold compared to that obtained with un-optimized basal medium. Lincomycin production was further improved by optimizing culture conditions such as agitation speed, impeller type and pH under the optimized medium condition. The highest titer of 350 mg/L lincomycin was achieved from 240 h bioreactor culture. These results demonstrate that fermentation conditions for maximal lincomycin production by Streptomyces lincolnensis were optimized via biotechnological processes.