Extraction of antibiotic zwittermicin A from Bacillus thuringiensis by macroporous resin and silica gel column chromatography

Abstract

To establish a production process capable of providing refined zwittermicin A (ZwA) on a large scale, the macroporous resin and silica gel column chromatography were used to separate and purify the antibiotic ZwA from the fermentation broth of Bacillus thuringiensis HD-1. The result of high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry after purification suggests that the samples of ZwA were of high purity, 89%, and the average yield was 20 mg L-1. Erwinia herbicola LS005, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus subtilis were used to assess the toxicity of ZwA. The antibiotic had strong antibacterial activity against E. herbicola LS005 and a color reaction with ninhydrin.