Correction to: Application of a multiphase microreactor chemostat for the determination of reaction kinetics of Staphylococcus carnosus.

Unfortunately, in the "How to Cite as" section, the given and the family name of the author was incorrectly published, the correct name is Lladó Maldonado. S.

Application of a multiphase microreactor chemostat for the determination of reaction kinetics of Staphylococcus carnosus.

Bioreactors at the microliter scale offer a promising approach to accelerate bioprocess development. Advantages of such microbioreactors include a reduction in the use of expensive reagents. In this study, a chemostat operation mode of a cuvette-based microbubble column bioreactor made of polystyrene (working volume of 550 µL) was demonstrated. Aeration occurs through a nozzle (Ø ≤ 100 µm) and supports submerged whole-cell cultivation of Staphylococcus carnosus. Stationary concentrations of biomass and glucose were determined in the dilution rate regime ranging from 0.12 to 0.80 1/h with a glucose feed concentration of 1 g/L. For the first time, reaction kinetics of S. carnosus were estimated from data obtained from continuous cultivation. The maximal specific growth rate (µmax = 0.824 1/h), Monod constant (KS = 34 × 10- 3gS/L), substrate-related biomass yield coefficient (YX/S = 0.315 gCDW/gS), and maintenance coefficient (mS = 0.0035 gS/(gCDW·h)) were determined. These parameters are now available for further studies in the field of synthetic biology.

Immobilization of mycobacterial cells onto silicone--assessing the feasibility of the immobilized biocatalyst in the production of androstenedione from sitosterol.

Silicone rubbers are hydrophobic, a feature that may prove advantageous if this material is to be used as immobilization matrix in bioconversion systems where hydrophobic species are present, such as sterols and mycobacterial cells. Mycobacterium sp. cells with sitosterol side chain cleavage activity were accordingly effectively adsorbed onto silicone and the potential application of the concept was assessed by matching the behavior of the resulting immobilized biocatalyst with free cells and Celite immobilized cells. Mass transfer, kinetics, thermal and storage stability characterization of a biotransformation system based in the use of the silicone immobilized biocatalyst was performed. The feasibility of biocatalyst reutilization was tentatively explored.