Antibiotic Production by the Mematode-Trapping Fungus Meria Coniospora

Meria coniospora is a nematode-trapping fungus which produces an antibiotic. For this study a high yielding strain, designated RK1, was isolated and used to determine the environmental growth parameters for the expression of optimum antibiotic production. The organism was then grown under optimal antibiotic producing conditions and the antibiotic was extracted from the mycelium. Partial purification and characterization of the antibiotic were accomplished using thin-layer chromatography. A disc diffusion assay was employed to determine the spectrum of organisms sensitive to the partially purified antibiotic.