Penicillin production by mutants ofPenicillium chrysogenum resistant to polyene macrolide antibiotics

Abstract

Polyene-resistant mutants ofPenicillium chrysogenum Wis. 54–1255 have been obtained by stepwise selection in increasing concentrations of polyene antibiotics. From the parent strain, sensitive to 10 μg/ml of polyene antibiotics, mutants resistant to fungimycin (1.3 mg/ml), amphotericin B (0. 5 mg/ml), or nystatin (167 μg//ml) were obtained. Their penicillin production is different from that of the parent strain and in particular some of the fungimycin-resistant mutants produce higher levels of penicillin.