Streptomyces griseus Growth and Streptomycin Production

The process of streptomycin formation was greatly facilitated by the addition of meat extract or corn steep liquor to the medium. Waksman and coworkers pointed out that this addition probably provided an organic substance which served as a precursor of the streptomycin molecule as a whole or of an important group in the molecule, or functioned as a prosthetic group in the mechanism essential for the synthesis of streptomycin. They designated such a substance, required for the 

It became evident that not all strains of Streptomyces griaeus were capable of producing streptomycin and that streptomycin-producing strains formed active and inactive variants. On the basis that those strains which can actively produce streptomycin would be more resistant to the antibiotic, it was proposed to utilize streptomycin-enriched media for the purification of active cultures of Streptomyces griseus from inactive variants. 

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