[Carotenoids synthesized by a culture of a mutant actinomycete strain].

Several pigments (beta-, gamma-carotenes and lycopene) have been isolated from the culture of the mutant strain of Actinomyces sp. 2 var. PIII related to Actinomyces chrysomallus. The pigments were identified by the position of maxima and absorption of light by the pigments within the range of 400 to 520 nm, and also by chromatography in several solvent systems, the results were compared with standard samples and literature data. The total yield of the carotenes during cultivation in flasks was 0.744 mg/g of dry mycelium; the content of beta-carotene was 0.590 mg/g.