Nisin production by Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis has been investigated using lactose as carbon source. Whether or not continuous cultures were lactose-limited, maximum nisin titre was observed at an intermediate mu value with a sharp peak of activity between 0.2 and 0.3/h. The maximum specific growth rate obtained in the medium used was 0.6/h and the maximum titre of nisin at mu = 0.25/h (160 AU/ml) was about nine-fold higher as compared with activity obtained at a dilution rate of 0.05/h or 0.4/h. With a constant dilution rate of 0.25/h and varying initial lactose concentrations from 3 to 40 g/l, there is an increase in nisin biosynthesis with increasing lactose concentration correlated with higher rates of sugar consumption. A Ymax value of 0.2 g bacterial dry weight and a maintenance coefficient of 124 mg lactose/g bacterial dry weight/h were determined. Lactose consumption increased from 1 to 3.28 g of lactose/g (dry wt) of cell mass/h and the nisin titre from 12.5 to 164.2 AU/ml. At higher values, nisin production declined. This implies that biosynthesis of nisin is regulated by a system of repression and derepression. Addition of lanthionine and beta-methyllanthionine precursors to the medium decreased the nisin titre when either threonine, threonine-cysteine, or cysteine-serine-threonine was added at the optimal dilution rate of 0.25/h; however, simultaneous addition of serine and cysteine elicited a slight increase in nisin activity. Studies with resting cells confirm that the biosynthesis of nisin is tightly regulated, since the production rate can be 5.6-fold higher than in cells grown in continuous culture. In addition, cell-adhered nisin appears to play a role in the production of the enzyme: low levels of cell-adhered nisin elicited high production rates, whereas high levels were not associated with nisin biosynthesis. In addition to pH, magnesium sulphate and lactose concentrations, nitrogen sources were also able to interfere in cell-adherence nisin.