The repertoire and levels of secondary metabolites in microbial cocultures depend on the inoculation ratio: a case study involving Aspergillus terreus and Streptomyces rimosus

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of the inoculation volume ratio on the production of secondary metabolites in submerged cocultures of Aspergillus terreus and Streptomyces rimosus.

The shake flask cocultures were initiated by using 23 inoculum variants that included different volumes of A. terreus and S. rimosus precultures. In addition, the axenic controls were propagated in parallel with the cocultures. UPLC‒MS analysis revealed the presence of 15 secondary metabolites, 12 of which were found both in the “A. terreus vs. S. rimosus” cocultures and axenic cultures of either A. terreus or S. rimosus. The production of the remaining 3 molecules was recorded solely in the cocultures. The repertoire and quantity of secondary metabolites were evidently dependent on the inoculation ratio. It was also noted that detecting filamentous structures resembling typical morphological forms of a given species was insufficient to predict the presence of a given metabolite.

The modification of the inoculation ratio is an effective strategy for awakening and enhancing the production of secondary metabolites that are not biosynthesized under axenic conditions.