Development of a semi-defined medium supporting production of platensimycin and platencin by Streptomyces platensis.

Platensimycin and platencin are compounds that were discovered at Merck Research Laboratories and have shown promising antibacterial activity. They are both produced in fermentation by the actinomycete Streptomyces platensis. Merck reported a crude, insoluble production medium to produce the antibiotics.