The Effect of Certain Mineral Elements on the Production of Penicillin in Shake Flasks

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Abstract
Subsequent to the demonstration that the addition of corn steep ash to certain synthetic media increased the production of penicillin by Penicillium chrysogenum X-1612 as well as the rate and intensity of other metabolic reactions, expts. were designed to determine which ash constituent or combination of constituents was responsible for this stimulation. The general procedure was to study the chem. composition of the ash and then to observe the effect of various ash components on the accumulation of penicillin in the basal medium which without supplements permitted good growth but no appreciable penicillin yields. It was shown that the ability of ashed corn steep to increase penicillin yields could be reproduced by the addition of iron and soluble phosphates. In addition, it was demonstrated that the presence of Cu (>2 ppm.) in the basal medium completely prevented the accumulation of penicillin; addition of only 1 ppm. of Fe offset the effect of Cu. Evidence indicated that this interaction between Fe and Cu affected the synthesis rather than the destruction of penicillin.