Abstract
In order to screen microorganisms producing phospholipase D (PLD) [EC 3.1.4.4], culture broths of about 900 strains of soil bacteria were subjected to examine for the PLD activity. When the hydrolytic activity of PLD (H-activity) in the supernatant was determined, 64 strains produced PLD more than 0.3 unit/ml and all of them were actinomycetes. Among 26 culture broths tested, 6 ones had transphosphatidylation activity (T-activity) of 30~68%. When the strains except one were cultivated on 3 different media at 30$\circ$C for 3 days under aerobic condition, strain # 1090 on medium B (yeast extract 1%, peptone 1%, glucose 1.5%, glycerol 1%, CaCO$_{3}$ 0.4%, and pH 7.2) produced PLD with much higher H- and T-activity, which were 8.3 units/ml and 76.3%, respectively. Subsequently, time course of PLD production of the strain # 1090 during cultivation with aeration of 1 v/v/m and agitation of 400 rpm at 30$\circ$C for 5 days on medium B in jar fermentor was investigated. H-activty of PLD reached almost maximum (about 9 units/ml) after 32 hours and maximal T-activity was found to be about 80%.