Efficient pullulan production by Aureobasidium pullulans using cost-effective substrates

In this study, cost-effective substrates such as cassava starch, corn steep liquor (CSL) and soybean meal hydrolysate (SMH) were used for pullulan production by Aureobasidium pullulans CCTCC M 2012259. The medium was optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural network (ANN) approaches, and analysis of variance indicated that the ANN model achieved higher prediction accuracy. The optimal medium predicted by ANN was used to produce high molecular weight pullulan in high yield. SMH substrates increased both biomass and pullulan titer, while CSL substrates maintained higher pullulan molecular weight. Results of kinetic parameters, key enzyme activities and intracellular uridine diphosphate glucose contents revealed the physiological mechanism of changes in pullulan titer and molecular weight using different substrates. Economic analysis of batch pullulan production using different substrates was performed, and the cost of nutrimental materials for CSL and SMH substrates was decreased by 46.1% and 49.9%, respectively, compared to the control using glucose and yeast extract as substrates, which could improve the competitiveness of pullulan against other polysaccharides in industrial applications.

Transforming biorefinery designs with 'Plug-In Processes of Lignin' to enable economic waste valorization

Biological lignin valorization has emerged as a major solution for sustainable and cost-effective biorefineries. However, current biorefineries yield lignin with inadequate fractionation for bioconversion, yet substantial changes of these biorefinery designs to focus on lignin could jeopardize carbohydrate efficiency and increase capital costs. We resolve the dilemma by designing 'plug-in processes of lignin' with the integration of leading pretreatment technologies. Substantial improvement of lignin bioconversion and synergistic enhancement of carbohydrate processing are achieved by solubilizing lignin via lowering molecular weight and increasing hydrophilic groups, addressing the dilemma of lignin- or carbohydrate-first scenarios. The plug-in processes of lignin could enable minimum polyhydroxyalkanoate selling price at as low as $6.18/kg. The results highlight the potential to achieve commercial production of polyhydroxyalkanoates as a co-product of cellulosic ethanol. Here, we show that the plug-in processes of lignin could transform biorefinery design toward sustainability by promoting carbon efficiency and optimizing the total capital cost.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates: Next generation natural biomolecules and a solution for the world's future economy

Petrochemical plastics have become a cause of pollution for decades and finding alternative plastics that are environmental friendly. Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), a biopolyester produced by microbial cells, has characteristics (biocompatible, biodegradable, non-toxic) that make it appropriate as a biodegradable plastic substance. The different forms of PHA make it suitable to a wide choice of products, from packaging materials to biomedical applications. The major challenge in commercialization of PHA is the cost of manufacturing. There are a lot of factors that could affect the efficiency of a development method. The development of new strategic parameters for better synthesis, including consumption of low cost carbon substrates, genetic modification of PHA-producing strains, and fermentational strategies are discussed. Recently, many efforts have been made to develop a method for the cost-effective production of PHAs. The isolation, analysis as well as characterization of PHAs are significant factors for any developmental process. Due to the biodegradable and biocompatible properties of PHAs, they are majorly used in biomedical applications such as vascular grafting, heart tissue engineering, skin tissue repairing, liver tissue engineering, nerve tissue engineering, bone tissue engineering, cartilage tissue engineering and therapeutic carrier. The emerging and interesting area of research is the development of self-healing biopolymer that could significantly broaden the operational life and protection of the polymeric materials for a broad range of uses. Biodegradable and biocompatible polymers are considered as the green materials in place of petroleum-based plastics in the future.

Bioproduction of pure, kilobase-scale single-stranded DNA

Scalable production of kilobase single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) with sequence control has applications in therapeutics, gene synthesis and sequencing, scaffolded DNA origami, and archival DNA memory storage. Biological production of circular ssDNA (cssDNA) using M13 addresses these needs at low cost. However, one unmet goal is to minimize the essential protein coding regions of the exported DNA while maintaining its infectivity and production purity to produce sequences less than 3,000 nt in length, relevant to therapeutic and materials science applications. Toward this end, synthetic miniphage with inserts of custom sequence and size offers scalable, low-cost synthesis of cssDNA at milligram and higher scales. Here, we optimize growth conditions using an E. coli helper strain combined with a miniphage genome carrying only an f1 origin and a β-lactamase-encoding (bla) antibiotic resistance gene, enabling isolation of pure cssDNA with a minimum sequence genomic length of 1,676 nt, without requiring additional purification from contaminating DNA. Low-cost scalability of isogenic, custom-length cssDNA is demonstrated for a sequence of 2,520 nt using a bioreactor, purified with low endotoxin levels (<5 E.U./ml). We apply these exonuclease-resistant cssDNAs to the self-assembly of wireframe DNA origami objects and to encode digital information on the miniphage genome for biological amplification.

The contribution of microbial biotechnology to economic growth and employment creation

Our communication discusses the profound impact of bio-based economies - in particular microbial biotechnologies - on SDG 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all. A bio-based economy provides significant potential for improving labour supply, education and investment, and thereby for substantially increasing the demographic dividend. This, in turn, improves the sustainable development of economies.

Overproduction of cellulase by Trichoderma reesei RUT C30 through batch-feeding of synthesized low-cost sugar mixture

Cellulase is a prerequisite for the bioconversion of lignocellulosic biomass, but its high cost presents the biggest challenge. In this article, low-cost mixture was produced from glucose through the transglycosylation reaction catalyzed by β-glucosidase for cellulase overproduction by Trichodema reesei RUT C30. As a result, cellulase titer of 90.3FPU/mL, which was more than 10 folds of that achieved with lactose as inducer, was achieved at 144h. Meanwhile, cellulase productivity was drastically increased to 627.1FPU/L/h, at least 3-5 folds higher than previously reported by the fungal species. The crude enzyme was further tested by hydrolyzing NaOH-pretreated corn stover with 15% solid loading, and 96.6g/L glucose was released with 92.6% sugar yield at 96h and 44.8g/L ethanol was obtained.

The development of genetic and molecular markers to register and commercialize Penicillium rubens (formerly Penicillium oxalicum) strain 212 as a biocontrol agent

Penicillium oxalicum strain 212 (PO212) is an effective biocontrol agent (BCA) against a large number of economically important fungal plant pathogens. For successful registration as a BCA in Europe, PO212 must be accurately identified. In this report, we describe the use of classical genetic and molecular markers to characterize and identify PO212 in order to understand its ecological role in the environment or host. We successfully generated pyrimidine (pyr-) auxotrophic mutants. In addition we also designed specific oligonucleotides for the pyrF gene at their untranslated regions for rapid and reliable identification and classification of strains of P. oxalicum and P. rubens, formerly P. chrysogenum. Using these DNA-based technologies, we found that PO212 is a strain of P. rubens, and is not a strain of P. oxalicum. This work presents PO212 as the unique P. rubens strain to be described as a BCA and the information contained here serves for its registration and commercialization in Europe.

Microbial synthesis of chalcogenide semiconductor nanoparticles: a review

Chalcogenide semiconductor quantum dots are emerging as promising nanomaterials due to their size tunable optoelectronic properties. The commercial synthesis and their subsequent integration for practical uses have, however, been contorted largely due to the toxicity and cost issues associated with the present chemical synthesis protocols. Accordingly, there is an immediate need to develop alternative environment-friendly synthesis procedures. Microbial factories hold immense potential to achieve this objective. Over the past few years, bacteria, fungi and yeasts have been experimented with as eco-friendly and cost-effective tools for the biosynthesis of semiconductor quantum dots. This review provides a detailed overview about the production of chalcogen-based semiconductor quantum particles using the inherent microbial machinery.

Heading for an economic industrial upgrading of crude glycerol from biodiesel production to 1,3-propanediol by Lactobacillus diolivorans

Lactobacillus diolivorans was evaluated as a potential organism for production of 1,3-propanediol under industrially relevant conditions. Crude glycerol of different origins has been tested and showed no inhibitory effects on growth or production. Using crude glycerol from biodiesel production from palm oil 85 g/l 1,3-propanediol have been obtained with a productivity of 0.45 g/lh in a fed-batch cultivation. Sugar necessary for the formation of biomass was replaced with a hydrolysate from lignocellulosic material resulting in 75 g/l 1,3-propanediol and a productivity of 0.36 g/lh. Lignocellulosic hydrolysate contained the potential inhibitors furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural at concentrations of 0.7 and 0.3 g/l, respectively. Addition of furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural to batch cultures in said concentrations did not show inhibitory effects on growth or 1,3-propanediol production.

Development of an industrial medium and a novel fed-batch strategy for high-level expression of recombinant β-mananase by Pichia pastoris

An industrial medium, Corn Steep Liquor Powder Dextrose (CSD medium) was developed for constitutive expression of recombinant β-mananase by Pichia pastoris. The β-mananase activity (513 U/mL) with CSD medium was 1.64- and 2.5-fold higher than with YPD and BSM in shaken flasks. The β-mananase productivity with CSD medium was 61.0 U/mL h, which was 1.7- and 2.5-fold higher than with YPD and BSM in a 5-L fermenter based on a novel fed-batch strategy combining the real-time exponential feed mode with the DO-stat feed mode. The β-mananase activity, dry cell weight and the recombinant enzyme reached up to 5132 U/mL, 110.0 g/L and 4.50 g/L after 50 h cultivation in a 50-L fermenter. The high efficient expression of recombinant β-mananase by P. pastoris indicated that CSD medium and the novel fed-batch strategy have great potential for the production of recombinant β-mananase in industrial fermentation.

Biomineralization-based conversion of carbon dioxide to calcium carbonate using recombinant carbonic anhydrase

Recently, as a mimic of the natural biomineralization process, the use of carbonic anhydrase (CA), which is an enzyme catalyzing fast reversible hydration of carbon dioxide to bicarbonate, has been suggested for biological conversion of CO(2) to valuable chemicals. While purified bovine CA (BCA) has been used in previous studies, its practical utilization in CO(2) conversion has been limited due to the expense of BCA preparation. In the present work, we investigated conversion of CO(2) into calcium carbonate as a target carbonate mineral by using a more economical, recombinant CA. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the usage of recombinant CA for biological CO(2) conversion. Recombinant α-type CA originating in Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NCA) was highly expressed as a soluble form in Escherichia coli. We found that purified recombinant NCA which showed comparable CO(2) hydration activity to commercial BCA significantly promoted formation of solid CaCO(3) through the acceleration of CO(2) hydration rate, which is naturally slow. In addition, the rate of calcite crystal formation was also accelerated using recombinant NCA. Moreover, non-purified crude recombinant NCA also showed relatively significant ability. Therefore, recombinant CA could be an effective, economical biocatalyst in practical CO(2) conversion system.

Acetone-butanol fermentation of marine macroalgae

The objective of this study was to subject mannitol, either as a sole carbon source or in combination with glucose, and aqueous extracts of the kelp Saccharina spp., containing mannitol and laminarin, to acetone-butanol fermentation by Clostridium acetobutylicum (ATCC 824). Both mannitol and glucose were readily fermented. Mixed substrate fermentations with glucose and mannitol resulted in diauxic growth of C. acetobutylicum with glucose depletion preceding mannitol utilization. Fermentation of kelp extract exhibited triauxic growth, with an order of utilization of free glucose, mannitol, and bound glucose, presumably laminarin. The lag in laminarin utilization reflected the need for enzymatic hydrolysis of this polysaccharide into fermentable sugars. The butanol and total solvent yields were 0.12 g/g and 0.16 g/g, respectively, indicating that significant improvements are still needed to make industrial-scale acetone-butanol fermentations of seaweed economically feasible.

Cost analysis in laccase production

In this paper the cost of producing the enzyme laccase by the white-rot fungus Trametes pubescens under both submerged (SmF) and solid-state fermentation (SSF) conditions was studied. The fungus was cultured using more than 45 culture medium compositions. The cost of production was estimated by analyzing the cost of the culture medium, the cost of equipment and the operating costs. The cost of the culture medium represented, in all cases, the highest contribution to the total cost, while, the cost of equipment was significantly low, representing less than 2% of the total costs. The cultivation under SSF conditions presented a final cost 50-fold lower than the one obtained when culturing under SmF conditions at flask scale. In addition, the laccase production under SSF conditions in tray bioreactors reduced the final cost 4-fold compared to the one obtained under SSF conditions at flask scale, obtaining a final price of 0.04 cent €/U.

Development of cost-effective media to increase the economic potential for larger-scale bioproduction of natural food additives by Lactobacillus rhamnosus , Debaryomyces hansenii , and Aspergillus niger

Yeast extract (YE) is the most common nitrogen source in a variety of bioprocesses in spite of the high cost. Therefore, the use of YE in culture media is one of the major technical hurdles to be overcome for the development of low-cost fermentation routes, making the search for alternative-cheaper nitrogen sources particularly desired. The aim of the current study is to develop cost-effective media based on corn steep liquor (CSL) and locally available vinasses in order to increase the economic potential for larger-scale bioproduction. Three microorganisms were evaluated: Lactobacillus rhamnosus , Debaryomyces hansenii , and Aspergillus niger . The amino acid profile and protein concentration was relevant for the xylitol and citric acid production by D. hansenii and A. niger , respectively. Metals also played an important role for citric acid production, meanwhile, D. hansenii showed a strong dependence with the initial amount of Mg(2+). Under the best conditions, 28.8 g lactic acid/L (Q(LA) = 0.800 g/L.h, Y(LA/S) = 0.95 g/g), 35.3 g xylitol/L (Q(xylitol) = 0.380 g/L.h, Y(xylitol/S) = 0.69 g/g), and 13.9 g citric acid/L (Q(CA) = 0.146 g/L.h, Y(CA/S) = 0.63 g/g) were obtained. The economic efficiency (E(p/euro)) parameter identify vinasses as a lower cost and more effective nutrient source in comparison to CSL.

[Consecutive very-high-gravity batch ethanol fermentation with self-flocculation yeast]

In order to save energy consumption for the downstream processes, consecutive very-high-gravity batch fermentation was developed for ethanol production with the self-flocculating yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae flo. The fermentation system exhibited a high ethanol productivity of 8.2 g/(L x h) with average ethanol concentration around 120 g/L. However, deterioration of the sedimentation performance of yeast flocs was observed as the consecutive fermentation process was prolonged, which significantly extended the time required for yeast flocs to separate from fermentation broth, and exaggerated the inhibition of high ethanol concentration on the yeast flocs, making them quickly lost viability and the fermentation system interrupted after 11 consecutive batches. Experimental results illustrated that decrease of the size of yeast flocs was the main reason, which could be prevented by stimulating the propagation of the yeast flocs. Thus, yeast was purged from the fermentation system at the end of each batch, and the concentration of yeast flocs within the fermentor was maintained at a relatively low level to stimulate their propagation. Although the ethanol productivity was decreased to 4.0 g/(L x h), the size of yeast flocs was stabilized after 10 consecutive batches and maintained for another 14 batches without further decrease, indicating the fermentation system could be operated reliably.

Strategies for improving extracellular lipolytic enzyme production by Thermus thermophilus HB27

In Thermus thermophilus HB27 cultures the localisation of lipolytic activity is extracellular, intracellular and membrane bound, with low percentage for the former. Therefore, the extracellular secretion must be increased in order to simplify the downstream process and to reduce the economic cost. This study focuses on the design of an innovative operational strategy to increase extracellular lipolytic enzyme production by T. thermophilus HB27 at bioreactor scale. In order to favour its secretion, the effect of several operational variables was evaluated. Among them, the presence of oils in the culture medium leads to improvements in growth and lipolytic enzyme activity. Sunflower oil is the most efficient inducer showing better results when added after 10h of growth. On the other hand, although surfactants lead to an almost complete inhibition of growth and lipolytic enzyme production, their addition along the culture could affect the location of the enzyme. Thus, by addition of surfactants at the stationary phase, a release of intracellular and membrane enzyme which increases the extracellular enzyme proportion is detected. Based on these results, strategies with successive addition of oil and surfactant in several culture phases in shake flask are developed and verified in a laboratory scale stirred tank bioreactor.

An economic approach for l-(+) lactic acid fermentation by Lactobacillus amylophilus GV6 using inexpensive carbon and nitrogen sources

AIMS

Development of cost-effective production medium by applying statistical designs for single-step fermentation of starch (corn flour - CF) to L-(+) lactic acid, using inexpensive nitrogen sources as substitutes for peptone and yeast extract in MRS medium by amylolytic Lactobacillus amylophilus GV6.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A two-level Plackett-Burman design was employed for screening various available crude starches (flours) for L-(+) lactic acid production by Lact. amylophilus GV6 using red lentil flour (RL) and bakers yeast cells (YC) as substitutes for commercial peptone and yeast extract in MRS medium in anaerobic submerged fermentation. Of all the tested flours, CF was found to be the most significant. Central composite rotatable design was employed to determine maximum production of L-(+) lactic acid at optimum values of process variables, CF, RL, YC, CaCO(3) and incubation period (IP). minitab analyses showed that lactic acid production was significantly affected by the linear terms CF, RL, CaCO(3) and IP. The interactions of CF-RL, CF-YC, CF-CaCO(3), RL-YC and RL-CaCO(3) and the square terms CF and IP were significant. The maximum lactic acid production of 29 g/37 g of starch present in 50 g of CF was obtained at optimized concentrations of CF 5%, RL 0.7%, YC 0.8%, CaCO(3) 0.8% and IP 2.9 days.

CONCLUSIONS

Successful application of Plackett-Burman design helped in identifying CF as the best carbon source among the tested flours for L-(+) lactic acid production using inexpensive nitrogen sources. Further optimization of the process variables by response surface methods (RSMs) led to maximum production of lactic acid (29 g lactic acid from 37 g of starch present in 50 g of flour).

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

Lactobacillus amylophilus GV6 showed 78.4% lactic acid production efficiency (g lactic acid produced/g starch taken) and 96% lactic acid yield efficiency (g lactic acid produced/g starch utilized). Information from the present studies provides a better understanding on production of L-(+) lactic acid on fermentation of CF using inexpensive nitrogen sources and on changes in the production as a response from interaction of factors. Use of inexpensive nitrogen sources and starch as substrate in MRS medium for single-step fermentation of lactic acid can become an efficient, economic and viable process. This report is on optimization of inexpensive nitrogen sources completely replacing peptone and yeast extract in single-step submerged fermentation of starch (present in CF) to lactic acid with high production efficiency.

Microbial diversity--biotechnological and industrial perspectives

Biodiversity is an addition sum of the studies on genetic, taxonomic commercial and ecosystem aspects of living systems. All the living individuals of a species contain a distinct combination of genes and the intrinsic interaction among the gene pool influences evolution, survival and phenotypic/genotypic changes of the part of the biodiversity i.e. community. The amount of genetic diversity within population varies tremendously and much of modern conservation biology is concerned with the maintenance of genetic diversity within the population of plants, animals and microbes. Germplasm, obtained with the vast biodiversity, provides a major source of biological material for the development of medicines, vaccines, pharmaceutical products, improved crop and animal varieties and for other environmental applications. Industrialized nations, who have the technology and resources to patent and develop commercial biological products, are having the benefits of biodiversity through the collected and conserved germplasm flowing through the international research centers. In fact a particular genetic contribution usually represents only a small percentage of the total value of the eventual products. In addition, the research and development process required to commercialize a particular product requires enormous technical efforts. The principle of patenting genes is the morally or ethically correct is a matter of intense debate. However, geneticists, having conceived of the technologies with vast and immediate therapeutic, food and environmental values must try to bring to the material to market as soon as possible.

Optimization of cellulase complex formulation for peashrub biomass hydrolysis

To improve efficiency and reduce cost, solid state simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of peashrub woody biomass was investigated under anaerobic conditions at 50 degrees C, with a cellulase-inoculant mixture consisting of Trichoderma koningii cellulase, Aspergillus niger cellulase, and Lactobacillus. Experimental formulations were prepared according to uniform prescription design principles. By crude protein, crude fiber models constructed using multivariate regression in SPSS and solutions analysis through unconstrained mathematical optimization in Microsoft Excel, it was clearly revealed that low pH value (3.8) from lactic acid accumulation produced by Lactobacillus would ultimately limit enzymatic hydrolysis during long-term fermentation (30 days). It was shown that a cellulase complex with filter paper cellulase/carboxymethyl cellulase/cotton lyase/beta-glucosidase/pectinase of activity ratios of 0.6:1:0.3:1:2.6 could effectively break peashrub cell wall structure by biodegradation of easily digested components and, then, release cellular contents to improve crude protein content. Thus, the enzymatic hydrolysis of peashrub biomass by the optimized cellulase complex could improve crude protein content by 45.3% (from 8.45 to 12.28%), although it only biodegraded about 10.90% of the crude fiber (from 44.45 to 40.08%).

Biotechnological production of gluconic acid: future implications

Gluconic acid (GA) is a multifunctional carbonic acid regarded as a bulk chemical in the food, feed, beverage, textile, pharmaceutical, and construction industries. The favored production process is submerged fermentation by Aspergillus niger utilizing glucose as a major carbohydrate source, which accompanied product yield of 98%. However, use of GA and its derivatives is currently restricted because of high prices: about US$ 1.20-8.50/kg. Advancements in biotechnology such as screening of microorganisms, immobilization techniques, and modifications in fermentation process for continuous fermentation, including genetic engineering programmes, could lead to cost-effective production of GA. Among alternative carbohydrate sources, sugarcane molasses, grape must show highest GA yield of 95.8%, and banana must may assist reducing the overall cost of GA production. These methodologies would open new markets and increase applications of GA.

Phase shifts in the stoichiometry of rifamycin B fermentation and correlation with the trends in the parameters measured online

Antibiotic fermentation processes are raw material cost intensive and the profitability is greatly dependent on the product yield per unit substrate consumed. In order to reduce costs, industrial processes use organic nitrogen substrates (ONS) such as corn steep liquor and yeast extract. Thus, although the stoichiometric analysis is the first logical step in process development, it is often difficult to achieve due to the ill-defined nature of the medium. Here, we present a black-box stoichiometric model for rifamycin B production via Amycolatopsis mediterranei S699 fermentation in complex multi-substrate medium. The stoichiometric coefficients have been experimentally evaluated for nine different media compositions. The ONS was quantified in terms of the amino acid content that it provides. Note that the black box stoichiometric model is an overall result of the metabolic reactions that occur during growth. Hence, the observed stoichiometric coefficients are liable to change during the batch cycle. To capture the shifts in stoichiometry, we carried out the stoichiometric analysis over short intervals of 8-16 h in a batch cycle of 100-200 h. An error analysis shows that there are no systematic errors in the measurements and that there are no unaccounted products in the process. The growth stoichiometry shows a shift from one substrate combination to another during the batch cycle. The shifts were observed to correlate well with the shifts in the trends of pH and exit carbon dioxide profiles. To exemplify, the ammonia uptake and nitrate uptake phases were marked by a decreasing pH trend and an increasing pH trend, respectively. Further, we find the product yield per unit carbon substrate to be greatly dependent on the nature of the nitrogen substrate. The analysis presented here can be readily applied to other fermentation systems that employ multi-substrate complex media.

Xylitol production from corn fiber and sugarcane bagasse hydrolysates by Candida tropicalis

A natural isolate, Candida tropicalis was tested for xylitol production from corn fiber and sugarcane bagasse hydrolysates. Fermentation of corn fiber and sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate showed xylose uptake and xylitol production, though these were very low, even after hydrolysate neutralization and treatments with activated charcoal and ion exchange resins. Initial xylitol production was found to be 0.43 g/g and 0.45 g/g of xylose utilised with corn fiber and sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate respectively. One of the critical factors for low xylitol production was the presence of inhibitors in these hydrolysates. To simulate influence of hemicellulosic sugar composition on xylitol yield, three different combinations of mixed sugar control experiments, without the presence of any inhibitors, have been performed and the strain produced 0.63 g/g, 0.68 g/g and 0.72 g/g of xylose respectively. To improve yeast growth and xylitol production with these hydrolysates, which contain inhibitors, the cells were adapted by sub culturing in the hydrolysate containing medium for 25 cycles. After adaptation the organism produced more xylitol 0.58 g/g and 0.65 g/g of xylose with corn fiber hydrolysate and sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate respectively.

Kinetics of batch single cell protein production from rice polishings with Candida utilis in continuously aerated tank reactors

Single cell protein was produced from the defatted rice polishings by fermentation with Candida utilis in an aerated 14-L fermentor to optimize bioprocess variables. Maximum values of specific growth rate coefficient (mu, h(-1)), cell mass yield (Y(X/S), g/g) and cell mass productivity (g/Lh) were 0.31, 0.65, and 1.24, respectively under optimized conditions of aeration rate (1 v.v(-1) m(-1)), dissolved oxygen (50%), corn steep liquor (5%), temperature (35 degrees C), and substrate concentration (90 g rice polishings/L) in yeast salt medium (pH 6.0). The kinetic parameters for 50-L fermentor under same conditions were 0.33 h(-1), 0.66 g/g, 1.33 g/Lh, 2.25 g/Lh, 1.23 g/Lh, 0.45 g/g substrate and 0.20 g/g cell h for mu, Y(X/S), Q(X), Q(S), Q(CP), Y(TP/S), and q(CP), respectively and were significantly higher than their respective values reported on C. utilis in batch culture studies. This biomass protein contained 23.6%, 32.75%, 11.50%, 12.95%, 10.5%, and 0.275% true protein, crude protein, crude fiber, ash, cellulose and RNA content respectively. This implied that the fermentation process could be up scaled to manufacture animal feed. Gross metabolizable energy content of dried SCP was 29,711 kcal/kg and indicated that the SCP could serve both as energy as well as a protein source. Yeast can replace expensive feed ingredients currently being incorporated in poultry feed and can reduce cost of poultry ration by 0.33 US dollars-0.51 US dollars/100 kg bag and improve the economics of feed production in our country.

A Low-Cost Fermentation Medium for Thermophilic Protease Production by Streptomyces sp. 594 Using Feather Meal and Corn Steep Liquor

Protease production by Streptomyces sp. 594 was obtained after submerged fermentation (SF) and solid-state fermentation (SSF) using feather meal (FM) and corn steep liquor (CSL) as sole sources of carbon and nitrogen. Enzyme productions were 13.4 U ml(-1) in SF and 21.5 U g(-1) in SSF; these values were approximately 86% and 39% higher, respectively, than those obtained previously when yeast extract was used in place of CSL. The proteases, which belong to the serine and metalloproteinase classes, were active at high temperatures (55 degrees C to 90 degrees C) and over a wide range of pH values (5.0 to 10.0). Thus, these thermophilic proteases have shown interesting properties for industrial purposes. As far as we are concerned, this is the first contribution toward the microbial production of thermophilic proteases by a streptomycete using a low-cost medium composed of industrial poultry (FM) and corn processing by-products (CSL).

Conversion of agricultural feedstock and coproducts into poly(hydroxyalkanoates)

Aside from their importance to the survival and general welfare of mankind, agriculture and its related industries produce large quantities of feedstocks and coproducts that can be used as inexpensive substrates for fermentative processes. Successful adoption of these materials into commercial processes could further the realization of a biorefinery industry based on agriculturally derived feedstocks. One potential concept is the production of poly(hydroxyalkanoate) (PHA) polymers, a family of microbial biopolyesters with a myriad of possible monomeric compositions and performance properties. The economics for the fermentative production of PHA could benefit from the use of low-cost agricultural feedstocks and coproducts. This mini-review provides a brief survey of research performed in this area, with specific emphasis on studies describing the utilization of intact triacylglycerols (vegetable oils and animal fats), dairy whey, molasses, and meat-and-bone meal as substrates in the microbial synthesis of PHA polymers.

The Future of Coproducts From Corn Processing

Increased demand for ethanol as a fuel additive has resulted in dramatic growth in ethanol production. Ethanol is produced from corn by either wet milling or dry-grind processing. In wet milling, the corn kernel is fractionated into different components, resulting in several coproducts. Wet-milling plants are capital intensive because of equipment requirements; they produce large volumes of ethanol and are corporate owned. In dry-grind processing, the corn kernel is not fractionated and only one coproduct, distillers' dried grains with solubles (DDGS), is generated. Dry-grind plants require less equipment and capital than wet mills. They generate smaller volumes of ethanol, are producer owned, and add direct benefits to rural economies. Most of the increase in ethanol production during the past decade is attributed to growth in the dry-grind industry. The marketing of coproducts provides income to offset processing costs. For dry-grind plants, this is especially important, because only one coproduct is available. Several issues could affect DDGS marketing. The increasing volume of DDGS accompanying ethanol production could reduce market value; high phosphorous content could limit the use of DDGS, because of animal waste disposal issues. Water removal is a costly processing step and affects the economics of ethanol processing. Technologies to remove germ and fiber from DDGS could produce a new coproduct suitable for feeding to nonruminants; this would expand the markets for DDGS. Reducing phosphorus in DDGS would sustain markets for conventional DDGS. The development of more efficient methods of water removal would increase the efficiency of ethanol processing and reduce the costs of processing. New technologies could contribute to greater stability of dry-grind plants.

Low-temperature anaerobic biological treatment of solvent-containing pharmaceutical wastewater

Low-temperature or psychrophilic (<20 degrees C) anaerobic digestion (PAD) has recently been demonstrated as a cost-effective option for the treatment of a range of wastewater categories. The aim of this work was 2-fold: (1) to screen three anaerobic sludges, obtained from full-scale reactors, with respect to suitability for PAD of pharmaceutical-like, solvent-contaminated wastewater; (2) to assess the feasibility of PAD of this wastewater category. Toxicity thresholds of key trophic groups within three candidate biomass samples were assessed against solvents prevalent in pharmaceutical wastewaters (propanol, methanol and acetone). Specific methanogenic activity (SMA) assays indicated that the metabolic optimum of each candidate biomass was within the mesophilic range. One biomass sample exhibited higher SMA assays than the other candidate samples and was also the sample least methanogenically inhibited by the addition of solvents to batch cultures. This sludge was selected as the biomass of choice for laboratory-scale trials. Two identical expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB)-based anaerobic reactors were used for the treatment of solvent-contaminated wastewater at 15 degrees C, and at applied organic loading rates (OLRs) of 5-20 kg chemical oxygen demand (COD) m(-3)d(-1). COD removal efficiencies of 60-70% were achieved during the 450 day trial. In addition, SMA assays carried out at the conclusion of the trial indicated the development of a putatively psychrophilic hydrogenotrophic methanogenic community.

Complex media from processing of agricultural crops for microbial fermentation

This mini-review describes the concept of the green biorefinery and lists a number of suitable agricultural by-products, which can be used for production of bioenergy and/or biochemicals. A process, in which one possible agricultural by-product from the green crop drying industry, brown juice, is converted to a basic, universal fermentation medium by lactic acid fermentation, is outlined. The resulting all-round fermentation medium can be used for the production of many useful fermentation products when added a carbohydrate source, which could possibly be another agricultural by-product. Two examples of such products-polylactic acid and L-lysine-are given. A cost calculation shows that this fermentation medium can be produced at a very low cost approximately 1.7 Euro cent/kg, when taking into account that the green crop industry has expenses amounting to 270,000 Euro/year for disposal of the brown juice. A newly built lysine factory in Esbjerg, Denmark, can benefit from this process by buying a low price medium for the fermentation process instead of more expensive traditional fermentation liquids such as corn steep liquor.

Refining sweet sorghum to ethanol and sugar: economic trade-offs in the context of North China

Reducing the use of non-renewable fossil energy reserves together with improving the environment are two important reasons that drive interest in the use of bioethanol as an automotive fuel. Conversion of sugar and starch to ethanol has been proven at an industrial scale in Brazil and the United States, respectively, and this alcohol has been able to compete with conventional gasoline due to various incentives. In this paper, we examined making ethanol from the sugar extracted from the juice of sweet sorghum and/or from the hemicellulose and cellulose in the residual sorghum bagasse versus selling the sugar from the juice or burning the bagasse to make electricity in four scenarios in the context of North China. In general terms, the production of ethanol from the hemicellulose and cellulose in bagasse was more favorable than burning it to make power, but the relative merits of making ethanol or sugar from the juice was very sensitive to the price of sugar in China. This result was confirmed by both process economics and analysis of opportunity costs. Thus, a flexible plant capable of making both sugar and fuel-ethanol from the juice is recommended. Overall, ethanol production from sorghum bagasse appears very favorable, but other agricultural residues such as corn stover and rice hulls would likely provide a more attractive feedstock for making ethanol in the medium and long term due to their extensive availability in North China and their independence from other markets. Furthermore, the process for residue conversion was based on particular design assumptions, and other technologies could enhance competitiveness while considerations such as perceived risk could impede applications.

Screening of Catalytically Active Microorganisms for the Synthesis of 6-Modified Purine Nucleosides

Modified nucleosides can be prepared by microbial transglycosylation from cheaper nucleoside precursors using free or immobilised whole cells. An efficient screening method to find transglycosylation activity in microorganisms was developed for the synthesis of 6-modified purine nucleosides, such as 6-chloro-, 6-methoxy-, 6-iodo- and 6-mercaptopurine ribonucleoside. Out of 100 microorganisms screened, Bacillus stearothermophilus ATCC 12980 was the best for this purpose.

Cost-effective production of Bacillus thuringiensis by solid-state fermentation

Production of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) was standardized on wheat bran based media in 250 ml Erlenmeyer flasks. Scale-up of Bt production on the best medium in plastic tubs with aeration at 8 h intervals starting 16 h after incubation yielded a significant increase in spore count and toxin content of the product. Maximum lysis of Bt cells was obtained by 60 h of incubation at 30 degrees C. This protocol was suitable for production of Bt strains and local isolates. The Bt produced proved highly effective at 0.1% concentration against larvae of castor semilooper, Achaea janata L, resulting in complete mortality by three days in laboratory bioassays. In field trials, the population of castor semilooper larvae on the castor bean crop was reduced significantly by three days after application. The cost for material production of 1 kg of Bt was approximately US dollars 0.70.

Simulation of Large-Scale Production of a Soluble Recombinant Protein Expressed in Escherichia coli Using an Intein-Mediated Purification System

Inteins are self-cleavable proteins that under reducing conditions can be cleaved from a recombinant target protein. Industrially, an intein-based system could potentially reduce production costs of recombinant proteins by facilitating a highly selective affinity purification using an inexpensive substrate such as chitin. In this study, SuperPro Designer was used to simulate the large-scale recovery of a soluble recombinant protein expressed in Escherichia coli using an intein-mediated purification process based on the commercially available IMPACT system. The intein process was also compared with a conventional process simulated by SuperPro. The intein purification process initially simulated was significantly more expensive than the conventional process, primarily owing to the properties of the chitin resin and high reducing-agent (dithiothreitol [DTT]) raw material cost. The intein process was sensitive to the chitin resin binding capacity, cleavage efficiency of the intein fusion protein, the size of the target protein relative to the intein tag, and DTT costs. An optimized intein purification process considerably reduced costs by simulating an improved chitin resin and alternative reducing agents. Thus, to realize the full potential of intein purification processes, research is needed to improve the properties of chitin resin and to find alternative, inexpensive raw materials.

Restructuring upstream bioprocessing: technological and economical aspects for production of a generic microbial feedstock from wheat

Restructuring and optimization of the conventional fermentation industry for fuel and chemical production is necessary to replace petrochemical production routes. Guided by this concept, a novel biorefinery process has been developed as an alternative to conventional upstream processing routes, leading to the production of a generic fermentation feedstock from wheat. The robustness of Aspergillus awamori as enzyme producer is exploited in a continuous fungal fermentation on whole wheat flour. Vital gluten is extracted as an added-value byproduct by the conventional Martin process from a fraction of the overall wheat used. Enzymatic hydrolysis of gluten-free flour by the enzyme complex produced by A. awamori during fermentation produces a liquid stream rich in glucose (320 g/L). Autolysis of fungal cells produces a micronutrient-rich solution similar to yeast extract (1.6 g/L nitrogen, 0.5 g/L phosphorus). The case-specific combination of these two liquid streams can provide a nutrient-complete fermentation medium for a spectrum of microbial bioconversions for the production of such chemicals as organic acids, amino acids, bioethanol, glycerol, solvents, and microbial biodegradable plastics. Preliminary economic analysis has shown that the operating cost required to produce the feedstock is dependent on the plant capacity, cereal market price, presence and market value of added-value byproducts, labor costs, and mode of processing (batch or continuous). Integration of this process in an existing fermentation plant could lead to the production of a generic feedstock at an operating cost lower than the market price of glucose syrup (90% to 99% glucose) in the EU, provided that the plant capacity exceeds 410 m(3)/day. Further process improvements are also suggested.

Industrial enzymatic production of cephalosporin-based beta-lactams

Cephalosporins are chemically closely related to penicillins both work by inhibiting the cell wall synthesis of bacteria. The first generation cephalosporins entered the market in 1964. Second and third generation cephalosporins were subsequently developed that were more powerful than the original products. Fourth generation cephalosporins are now reaching the market. Each newer generation of cephalosporins has greater Gram-negative antimicrobial properties than the preceding generation. Conversely, the 'older' generations of cephalosporins have greater Gram-positive (Staphylococcus and Streptococcus) coverage than the 'newer' generations. Frequency of dosing decreases and palatability generally improve with increasing generations. The advent of fourth generation cephalosporins with the launch of cefepime extended the spectrum against Gram-positive organisms without a significant loss of activity towards Gram-negative bacteria. Its greater stability to beta-lactamases increases its efficacy against drug-resistant bacteria. In this review we present the current situation of this mature market. In addition, we present the current state of the technologies employed for the production of cephalosporins, focusing on the new and environmentally safer 'green' routes to the products. Starting with the fermentation and purification of CPC, enzymatic conversion in conjunction with aqueous chemistry will lead to some key intermediates such as 7-ACA, TDA and TTA, which then can be converted into the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), again applying biocatalytic technologies and aqueous chemistry. Examples for the costing of selected products are provided as well.

Downstream Process Synthesis for Biochemical Production of Butanol, Ethanol, and Acetone from Grains: Generation of Optimal and Near-Optimal Flowsheets with Conventional Operating Units

Manufacturing butanol, ethanol, and acetone through grain fermentation has been attracting increasing research interest. In the production of these chemicals from fermentation, the cost of product recovery constitutes the major portion of the total production cost. Developing cost-effective flowsheets for the downstream processing is, therefore, crucial to enhancing the economic viability of this manufacturing method. The present work is concerned with the synthesis of such a process that minimizes the cost of the downstream processing. At the outset, a wide variety of processing equipment and unit operations, i.e., operating units, is selected for possible inclusion in the process. Subsequently, the exactly defined superstructure with minimal complexity, termed maximal structure, is constructed from these operating units with the rigorous and highly efficient graph-theoretic method for process synthesis based on process graphs (P-graphs). Finally, the optimal and near-optimal flowsheets in terms of cost are identified.

Process Considerations and Economic Evaluation of Two-Step Steam Pretreatment for Production of Fuel Ethanol from Softwood

To increase the overall ethanol yield from softwood, the steam pretreatment stage can be carried out in two steps. The two-step pretreatment process was evaluated from a techno-economic standpoint and compared with the one-step pretreatment process. The production plants considered were designed to utilize spruce as raw material and have a capacity of 200,000 tons/year. The two-step process resulted in a higher ethanol yield and a lower requirement for enzymes. However, the two-step process is more capital-intensive and has a higher energy requirement. The estimated ethanol production cost was the same, 4.13 SEK/L (55.1 cent /L) for both alternatives. For the two-step process different energy-saving options were considered, such as a higher concentration of water-insoluble solids in the filter cake before the second step, and the possibility of excluding the pressure reduction between the steps. The most optimistic configuration, with 50% water-insoluble solids in the filter cake in the feed to the second pretreatment step, no pressure reduction between the pretreatment steps, and 77% overall ethanol yield (0.25 kg EtOH/kg dry wood), resulted in a production cost of 3.90 SEK/L (52.0 cent /L). This shows the potential for the two-step pretreatment process, which, however, remains to be verified in pilot trials.

A cost-effective cane molasses medium for enhanced cell-bound phytase production by Pichia anomala

AIM

Formulation of an inexpensive cane molasses medium for improved cell-bound phytase production by Pichia anomala.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Cell-bound phytase production by Pichia anomala was compared in synthetic glucose-beef extract and cane molasses media. The yeast was cultivated in 250 ml flasks containing 50 ml of the medium, inoculated with a 12 h-old inoculum (3 x 10(6) CFU ml(-1)) and incubated at 25 degrees C for 24 h at 250 rev min(-1). Different cultural parameters were optimized in cane molasses medium in batch fermentation. The cell-bound phytase content increased significantly in cane molasses medium (176 U g(-1) dry biomass) when compared with the synthetic medium (100 U g(-1) dry biomass). In fed-batch fermentation, a marked increase in biomass (20 g l(-1)) and the phytase yield (3000 U l(-1)) were recorded in cane molasses medium. The cost of production in cane molasses medium was pound 0.006 per 1000 U, which is much lower when compared with that in synthetic medium (pound 0.25 per 1000 U).

CONCLUSIONS

An overall 86.6% enhancement in phytase yield was attained in optimized cane molasses medium using fed-batch fermentation when compared with that in synthetic medium. Furthermore, the production in cane molasses medium is cost-effective.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

Phytase yield was improved in cane molasses when compared with the synthetic medium, and the cost of production was also significantly reduced. This enzyme can find application in the animal feed industry for improving the nutritional status of feed and combating environmental pollution.

Biosynthesis of proteases byRhizopus oligosporus IHS13 in low-cost medium by solid-state fermentation

The present study describes the biosynthesis of proteases by a locally isolated mould culture of Rhizopus oligosporus IHS13 in a low-cost medium by solid-state fermentation technique. The fermentation was carried out in a low-cost medium such as sunflower meal, wheat bran and rice bran. Sunflower meal and wheat bran in a ratio of 1:1 and moistened with distilled water was found to be the best substrate for protease synthesis. All the three substrates are very cheap agricultural by-products found in Pakistan. The production of proteases in sunflower meal and rice bran was also investigated but the results were unsatisfactory. Different cultural conditions such as rate of fermentation, effect of incubation temperature, effect of pH and depth of the fermentation medium were also optimized. The maximum enzyme synthesis was found after 72 h of fermentation at a temperature of 30 degrees C. The optimum pH and depth of the medium for protease synthesis were found to be 5.0 and 20 mm respectively. The maximum enzyme biosynthesis found during the course of present studies was 7.0 U ml(-1).

Bioprocess design and economic analysis for the commercial production of environmentally friendly bioinsecticides fromBacillus thuringiensis HD-1kurstaki

A production process for B. thuringiensis (Bt) bioinsecticides was designed in detail, including alternative batch, low-density fed-batch (LDFB), and high-density fed-batch (HDFB) fermentation configurations. Capital and operating costs, as well as profitability based on simple rate of return, were performed using a purpose-written FORTRAN program, explicitly analyzing production of a water-based flowable product used in forestry applications. The total capital cost was 18 million dollars (Canadian dollars) for a stand-alone plant with base-scale capacity of 3 x 10(7) billion international units (BIU)/year. Raw material costs amounted to 1.5 million dollars yearly, of which approximately half was for formulation ingredients. Per-unit production cost rose sharply for scales of less than 1 x 10(7) BIU/year, but was little affected by scale above 3 x 10(7) BIU/year. Product cost was much lower at all scales for a LDFB as opposed to batch fermentation process, but HDFB gave relatively little additional cost benefit. Profitability analysis performed by co-varying scale and selling price showed that break-even occurred at a price of 0.45 dollars/BIU for a batch process at base scale, while with LDFB fermentation the same production volume sold at 0.35 dollars/BIU gave a 12% rate of return. Since the assumed base scale would represent 8-15% of current world Bt bioinsecticide production, based on value or volume, it was concluded that profitability would require some or all of the following elements: targeting higher-value markets such as disease vector control, in addition to forestry; a potentially lower plant capacity (although at least 1 x 10(7) BIU/year;) and coproduction of other large-volume microbial products to absorb capacity and match bioinsecticide output to market demand.

Commercialization of a novel fermentation concept

Fermentation is the core of biotechnology where current methodologies span across technologies based on the use of either solid or liquid substrates. Traditionally, solid substrate fermentation technologies have been the widely practiced in the Far East to manufacture fermented foods such as soya sauce, sake etc. The Western World briefly used solid substrate fermentation for the manufacture of antibiotics and enzymes but rapidly replaced this technology with submerged fermentation which proved to be a superior technology in terms of automation, containment and large volume fermentation. Biocon India developed its enzyme technology based on solid substrate fermentation as a low-cost, low-energy option for the production of specialty enzymes. However, the limitations of applying solid substrate fermentation to more sophisticated biotechnology products as well as large volume fermentations were recognized by Biocon India as early as 1990 and the company embarked on a 8 year research and development program to develop a novel bioreactor capable of conducting solid substrate fermentation with comparable levels of automation and containment as those practiced by submerged fermentation. In addition, the novel technology enabled fed-batch fermentation, in situ extraction and other enabling features that will be discussed in this article. The novel bioreactor was christened the "PlaFractor" (pronounced play-fractor). The next level of research on this novel technology is now focused on addressing large volume fermentation. This article traces the evolution of Biocon India's original solid substrate fermentation to the PlaFractor technology and provides details of the scale-up and commercialization processes that were involved therein. What is also apparent in the article is Biocon India's commercially focused research programs and the perceived need to be globally competitive through low costs of innovation that address, at all times, processes and technologies that exhibit high degrees of conformance to the international standards of regulatory and good manufacturing practice.

Crude extracts of bacterially expressed dsRNA can be used to protect plants against virus infections

BACKGROUND

Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) is a potent initiator of gene silencing in a diverse group of organisms that includes plants, Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila and mammals. We have previously shown and patented that mechanical inoculation of in vitro-transcribed dsRNA derived from viral sequences specifically prevents virus infection in plants. The approach required the in vitro synthesis of large amounts of RNA involving high cost and considerable labour.

RESULTS

We have developed an in vivo expression system to produce large amounts of virus-derived dsRNAs in bacteria, with a view to providing a practical control of virus diseases in plants. Partially purified bacterial dsRNAs promoted specific interference with the infection in plants by two viruses belonging to the tobamovirus and potyvirus groups. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that easy to obtain, crude extracts of bacterially expressed dsRNAs are equally effective protecting plants against virus infections when sprayed onto plant surfaces by a simple procedure. Virus infectivity was significantly abolished when plants were sprayed with French Press lysates several days before virus inoculation.

CONCLUSION

Our approach provides an alternative to genetic transformation of plant species with dsRNA-expressing constructs capable to interfere with plant viruses. The main advantage of this mode of dsRNA production is its simplicity and its extremely low cost compared with the requirements for regenerating transgenic plants. This approach provides a reliable and potential tool, not only for plant protection against virus diseases, but also for the study of gene silencing mechanisms in plant virus infections.

Towards a cost effective strategy for cutinase production by a recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae: strain physiological aspects

Although the physiology and metabolism of the growth of yeast strains has been extensively studied, many questions remain unanswered where the induced production of a recombinant protein is concerned. This work addresses the production of a Fusarium solani pisi cutinase by a recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain induced through the use of a galactose promoter. The strain is able to metabolise the inducer, galactose, which is a much more expensive carbon source than glucose. Both the transport of galactose into the cell-required for the induction of cutinase production-and galactose metabolism are highly repressed by glucose. Different fermentation strategies were tested and the culture behaviour was interpreted in view of the strain metabolism and physiology. A fed-batch fermentation with a mixed feed of glucose and galactose was carried out, during which simultaneous consumption of both hexoses was achieved, as long as the glucose concentration in the medium did not exceed 0.20 g/l. The costs, in terms of hexoses, incurred with this fermentation strategy were reduced to 23% of those resulting from a fermentation carried out using a more conventional strategy, namely a fed-batch fermentation with a feed of galactose.

Economic aspects of amino acids production

Amino acids represent basic elements of proteins, which as a main source of nutrition themselves serve as a major reserve for maintaining essential functions of humans as well as animals. Taking the recent state of scientific knowledge into account, the industrial sector of amino acids is a priori "suitable" to a specific kind of an ecologically sound way of production, which is based on biotechnology. The following article may point out characteristics of this particular industrial sector and illustrates the applicability of the latest economic methods, founded on development of the discipline of bionics in order to describe economic aspects of amino acids markets. The several biochemical and technological fields of application of amino acids lead to specific market structures in high developed and permanently evolving systems. The Harvard tradition of industrial economics explains how market structures mould the behaviour of the participants and influences market results beyond that. A global increase in intensity of competition confirms the notion that the supply-side is characterised by asymmetric information in contrast to Kantzenbachs concept of "narrow oligopoly" with symmetrical shared knowledge about market information. Departing from this point, certain strategies of companies in this market form shall be derived. The importance of Research and Development increases rapidly and leads to innovative manufacturing methods which replace more polluting manufacturing processes like acid hydrolysis. In addition to these modifications within the production processes the article deals furthermore with the pricing based on product life cycle concept and introduces specific applications of tools like activity based costing and target costing to the field of amino acid production. The authors come to the conclusion that based on a good transferability of latest findings in bionics and ecological compatibility competitors in amino acids manufacturing are well advised to exercise concepts of the management of complex systems in order to choose the right strategy towards gaining market leadership.

Rhodococcus erythropolis ATCC 25544 as a suitable source of cholesterol oxidase: cell-linked and extracellular enzyme synthesis, purification and concentration

BACKGROUND

The suitability of the strain Rhodococcus erythropolis ATCC 25544 grown in a two-liter fermentor as a source of cholesterol oxidase has been investigated. The strain produces both cell-linked and extracellular cholesterol oxidase in a high amount, that can be extracted, purified and concentrated by using the detergent Triton X-114.

RESULTS

A spray-dry method of preparation of the enzyme inducer cholesterol in Tween 20 was found to be superior in both convenience and enzyme synthesis yield to one of heat-mixing. Both were similar as far as biomass yield is concerned. Cell-linked cholesterol oxidase was extracted with Triton X-114, and this detergent was also used for purification and concentration, following temperature-induced detergent phase separation. Triton X-114 was utilized to purify and to concentrate the cell-linked and the extracellular enzyme. Cholesterol oxidase was found mainly in the resulting detergent-rich phase. When Triton X-114 concentration was set to 6% w/v the extracellular, but not the cell-extracted enzyme, underwent a 3.4-fold activation after the phase separation process. This result is interpreted in the light of interconvertible forms of the enzyme that do not seem to be in equilibrium. Fermentation yielded 360 U/ml (672 U/ml after activation), 36% of which was extracellular (65% after activation). The Triton X-114 phase separation step yielded 11.6-fold purification and 20.3-fold concentration.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this work may make attractive and cost-effective the implementation of this bacterial strain and this detergent in a purification-based industrial production scheme of commercial cholesterol oxidase.

An update on the use of unconventional substrates for biosurfactant production and their new applications

Biosurfactants are valuable microbial amphiphilic molecules with effective surface-active and biological properties applicable to several industries and processes. Microbes synthesize them, especially during growth on water-immiscible substrates, providing an alternative to chemically prepared conventional surfactants. Because of their structural diversity (i.e., glycolipids, lipopeptides, fatty acids, etc.), low toxicity, and biodegradability, these molecules could be widely used in cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and food processes as emulsifiers, humectants, preservatives, and detergents. Moreover, they are ecologically safe and can be applied in bioremediation and waste treatments. They can be produced from various substrates, mainly renewable resources such as vegetable oils, distillery and dairy wastes, which are economical but have not been reported in detail. In this review, we report advances made in using renewable substrates for biosurfactant production and their newer applications.

ABE production from corn: a recent economic evaluation

This article details an economic assessment of butanol production from corn using the newly developed hyper-butanol-producing strain of Clostridium beijerinckii BA101. Butanol is produced in batch reactors and recovered by distillation. For a plant with 153,000 metric tons of acetone, butanol, and ethanol (ABE) production capacity, the production equipment cost and total working capital cost is US$33.47x10(6) and US$110.46x10(6), respectively. Based on a corn price (C(p)) of US$79.23 x ton(-1) (US$2.01 x bushel(-1)), an ABE yield of 0.42 (g ABE/g glucose) butanol price is projected to be US$0.34 x kg(-1). An improved yield of 0.50 will reduce this price to US$0.29 x kg(-1). Assumptions, such as by-product credit for gases and complete conversion of corn steep liquor (CSL) to fermentation by-products, have been taken into consideration. An increased price of corn to US$197.10 x ton(-1) would result in a butanol price of US$0.47 x kg(-1). A grass-rooted plant would result in a butanol price of US$0.73 x kg(-1) (C(p) US$79.23 x ton(-1)). In a worst case scenario, the price of butanol would increase to US$1.07 x kg(-1) (C(p) 197.10 x ton(-1) for a grass-rooted plant and assuming no credit for gases). This is based on the assumption that corn price would not increase to more than US$197.10 x ton(-1).

Economic considerations in the production of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) by bacterial fermentation

The process for the production of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) [P(3HB/V)] by bacterial fermentation and its recovery was analysed. The effects of various factors such as P(3HB/V) content, P(3HB/V) productivity, P(3HB/V) yield and 3-hydroxyvalerate (3HV) fraction in P(3HB/V) on the production cost of P(3HB/V) were examined. The increase in the 3HV yield on a carbon source did not significantly decrease the production cost when the 3HV fraction was 10 mol%, because the cost of the carbon substrate for 3HV was relatively small in terms of the total cost. However, at a 3HV fraction of 30 mol%, the 3HV yield on a carbon source had a significant effect on the total P(3HB/V) production cost. The production cost of P(3HB/V) increased linearly with the increase in the 3HV fraction in P(3HB/V).

Biosynthesis of gibberellins in Gibberella fujikuroi: biomolecular aspects

Gibberellins (GAs) are a large family of isoprenoid plant hormones hormones, some of which are bioactive growth regulators, controlling seed germination, stem elongation, and flowering. The rice pathogen Gibberella fujikuroi (mating population C) is able to produce large amounts of GAs, especially the bioactive compounds gibberellic acid (GA3) and its precursors, GA4 and GA7. The main steps of the biosynthetic pathway have long been established from the identification of intermediates in wild-type G. fujikuroi and mutant strains. However, the genetics of the fungus have been rather under-developed, and molecular genetic studies of the GA pathway started just recently. The progress in researching GA biosynthesis in the last 2 years resulted primarily from development of the molecular tools, e.g. transformation systems for the fungus, and cloning the genes encoding GA biosynthesis enzymes, such as the bifunctional ent-copalyl diphosphate/kaurene synthase and several cytochrome P450 monooxygenases. The availability of these genes opened new horizons both for detailed study of the pathway and the regulation mechanisms at the molecular level, and for modern strain improvement programs. This review gives a short overview of the well-known physiological and biochemical studies and concentrates mainly on the new molecular genetic data from GA research, including new information on the regulation of GA biosynthesis.