l-Tryptophan production from anthranilic acid by amino acid auxotrophic mutants of Candida utilis

L-Tryptophan Production by Auxotrophic and Analogue Resistant Mutants of Aureobacterium flavescens

A number of tyrosine plus phenylalanine double auxotrophic mutants were isolated by N-methyl-N-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) treatment of a locally isolated strain of Aureobacterium flavescens of which 11A₃₉ and 11A₁₇ were selected on the basis of their tryptophan production in a mineral salt medium over other isolated mutant strains. The mutational block in the aromatic amino acid biosynthetic pathway of the selected double auxotrophs were determined. By controlling pH of the production medium to near neutrality, the active growth period could be extended up to 72 h and more tryptophan was accumulated compared to pH unregulated culture where the active growth ceased after 48 h. Further improvement of the tryptophan production has been achieved by stepwise isolation of a mutant strain resistant to the tryptophan analogues p-fluorotryptophan (FT) and 5-methyl tryptophan (MT) from the 11A₃₉. Demand for L-tryptophan as food additive and therapeutic agent is increasing day by day throughout the World, particularly in the underdeveloped and developing countries like India. Still to date India depends on other countries for L-tryptophan. The aim of this work is to develop a potent high yielding, feed back insensitive mutant strain and optimization of its medium pH for maximum production of tryptophan.

Value-added food: single cell protein

The alarming rate of population growth has increased the demand for food production in third-world countries leading to a yawning gap in demand and supply. This has led to an increase in the number of hungry and chronically malnourished people. This situation has created a demand for the formulation of innovative and alternative proteinaceous food sources. Single cell protein (SCP) production is a major step in this direction. SCP is the protein extracted from cultivated microbial biomass. It can be used for protein supplementation of a staple diet by replacing costly conventional sources like soymeal and fishmeal to alleviate the problem of protein scarcity. Moreover, bioconversion of agricultural and industrial wastes to protein-rich food and fodder stocks has an additional benefit of making the final product cheaper. This would also offset the negative cost value of wastes used as substrate to yield SCP. Further, it would make food production less dependent upon land and relieve the pressure on agriculture. This article reviews diversified aspects of SCP as an alternative protein-supplementing source. Various potential strains and substrates that could be utilized for SCP production are described. Nutritive value and removal of nucleic acids and toxins from SCP as a protein-supplementing source are discussed. New processes need to be exploited to improve yield. In that direction the solid state fermentation (SSF) method and its advantages for SCP production are highlighted.