Filamentous fungi in microtiter plates-an easy way to optimize itaconic acid production with Aspergillus terreus

Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2014 Aug;98(16):6983-9. doi: 10.1007/s00253-014-5743-2. Epub 2014 Apr 16.

Abstract

Itaconic acid is an important industrial building block and is produced by the filamentous fungi Aspergillus terreus. To make the optimization process more efficient, a scale-down from shake flasks to microtiter plates was performed. This resulted in comparable product formations, and 87.7 g/L itaconic acid was formed after 10 days of cultivation in the microtiter plate. The components of the minimal medium were varied independently for a media optimization. This resulted in an increase of the itaconic acid concentration by a variation of the KH2PO4 and CuSO4 concentrations. The cultivation with a higher KH2PO4 concentration in a 400-mL bioreactor showed an increase in the maximum productivity of 1.88 g/L/h, which was an increase of 74 % in comparison to the reference. Neither the phosphate concentration nor the nitrogen sources were limited at the start of the product formation. This showed that a limitation of these substances is not necessary for the itaconic acid formation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aspergillus / metabolism*
  • Bioreactors
  • Biotechnology / methods*
  • Culture Media / chemistry*
  • Fermentation
  • Fungi / metabolism*
  • Nitrogen / metabolism
  • Phosphates / metabolism
  • Succinates / metabolism*
  • Sulfates / metabolism

Substances

  • Culture Media
  • Phosphates
  • Succinates
  • Sulfates
  • Nitrogen
  • itaconic acid