Strain MG-37 was isolated from sediment collected by us (ATB, GK) in the Raune Fjord, Norway (N 60° 15.898, E 5° 08.237) at a depth of 250 meters. Strain MG-37 was cultivated in a 10-liter stirred tank fermentor (Biostat S, B. Braun Melsungen, Germany) in a complex medium that consisted of soluble starch 10 g, glucose 10 g, glycerol 10 g, cornsteep powder (Marcor) 2.5 g, Bacto peptone 5.0 g, yeast extract (Ohly Kat) 2.0 g, NaCl 1.0 g and CaCO₃ 3.0 g in 1.0 liter tap water, adjusted to pH 7.3 prior to sterilization. The fermentor was inoculated with 5 vol-% of shake cultures, grown in 500-ml Erlenmeyer flasks with one baffle for 48 hours on a rotary shaker at 120 rpm and 27 ℃ using the same medium. The fermentation was carried out for 96 hours at 27 ℃ with an aeration rate of 0.5 liter/liter culture/minute and an agitation of 250 rpm.