[Natural variability of Streptomyces spheroides--a producer of extracellular proteolytic enzymes possessing fibrinolytic action].

Streptomyces spheroides M 8-2 was obtained using UV irradiation of spores taken from the parent culture. It shows a high activity of exocellular proteases which are capable of fibrin hydrolysis and degradation of blood clots. On certain media, a population of S. spheroides M8-2 was shown to yield three variants differing in their morphologo-biochemical properties. During submerged cultivation, these variants produce different quantities of exocellular proteases (3 to 19 units per 1 mg of biomass) with the fibrinolytic activity. Variants I and III are most active; their proteolytic activity is 10-14 units per 1 mg of biomass, on the average, and can reach 18-19 units per 1 mg of biomass. Variants with a low activity (variant II) are accumulated when the actinomycets is kept as spores on a solid medium with corn extract and on a solid medium with fibrin. The high proteolytic activity of the strain can be preserved by selection on a diagnostic medium with fibrin taking account of the diameter of hydrolytic zones around the colonies and selecting solely the colonies of variants I and III.