Abstract: A high yield of melanin producing strain (H4) was isolated from soil collected from different regions of Chongqing,by 16SrDNA sequencing.The isolated strain showed 99% similarity with Streptomyces puniciscabiei. The melanin produced by strain H4 had a district absorption in UV light and as the wavelength decreased,the absorption increased.It has an absorption peak at around 210 nm.Response surface methodology was used to optimize its fermentation conditions,the results showed that the optimal fermentation conditions were as follows:the content of L-Tyrosine of 0.73 g/L,pH value of 6.05,at a temperature of 28 ℃.Under these conditions,the actual output of melanin reached 2.49 g/L.

Key words: melanin, Streptomyces, 16SrDNA, response surface methodology