Bacitracin: Methods of Production, Concentration, and Partial Purification, with a Summary of the Chemical Properties of Crude Bacitracin

Abstract

We have previously reported that the antibiotic bacitracin is produced by a gram-positive sporulating bacillus of the Bacillus subtilis group isolated from cultures of contaminated tissue removed at operation from a compound fracture of the tibia (Johnson et al., 1945). This paper will summarize the results of our work on the production, concentration, and partial purification of bacitracin on a laboratory scale. In the experiments dealing with purification processes we have worked with preparations of crude bacitracin supplied to us by several commercial laboratories as well as with material produced and concentrated in this laboratory. Studies on the chemical properties of the crude antibiotic were directed toward solving the problem of purification. To date no pure bacitracin is available, and the chemical properties of the pure product may prove to differ from those of the crude material we have worked with.