title: A rapid technique for screening of lovastatin-producing strains of Aspergillus terreus by agar plug and Neurospora crassa bioassay.
abstract: The success of strain improvement programme depends on the number of isolates that can be screened after mutagenic treatment. A technique to rapidly screen large number of high-yielding isolates was developed. The 'agar plug' method that utilizes the anti-fungal property of lovastatin to produce a zone of inhibition against Neurospora crassa was not only economical but also less labour-intensive. We were able to isolate a high-yielding strain, the productivity of which increased by 138% as compared to the parent strain in the submerged fermentation process.
authors.affiliation: Fermentation Laboratory, Biotechnology R&D, Dr. Reddy's Research Foundation, Miyapur, Hyderabad, India.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Sarnaik
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Sadhukhan
mesh_terms: D000362:Agar; D001230:Aspergillus / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D001681:Biological Assay; D003470:Culture Media; D008148:Lovastatin / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009172:Mycology / Q000379:methods; D009492:Neurospora crassa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D000362:Agar; D008148:Lovastatin