Towards the design of an optimal strategy for the production of ergosterol from Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeasts.

The total yield of ergosterol produced by the fermentation of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae depends on the final amount of yeast biomass and the ergosterol content in the cells. At the same time ergosterol purity-defined as percentage of ergosterol in the total sterols in the yeast-is equally important for efficient downstream processing. This study investigated the development of both the ergosterol content and ergosterol purity in different physiological (metabolic) states of the microorganism S. cerevisiae with the aim of reaching maximal ergosterol productivity. To expose the yeast culture to different physiological states during fermentation an on-line inference of the current physiological state of the culture was used. The results achieved made it possible to design a new production strategy, which consists of two preferable metabolic states, oxidative-fermentative growth on glucose followed by oxidative growth on glucose and ethanol simultaneously. Experimental application of this strategy achieved a value of the total efficiency of ergosterol production (defined as product of ergosterol yield coefficient and volumetric productivity), 103.84 × 10-6 g L-1 h-1 , more than three times higher than with standard baker's yeast fed-batch cultivations, which attained in average 32.14 × 10-6 g L-1 h-1 . At the same time the final content of ergosterol in dry biomass was 2.43%, with a purity 86%. These results make the product obtained by the proposed control strategy suitable for effective down-stream processing. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 33:838-848, 2017.

Lignocellulosic ethanol: Technology design and its impact on process efficiency.

This review provides current information on the production of ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass, with the main focus on relationships between process design and efficiency, expressed as ethanol concentration, yield and productivity. In spite of unquestionable advantages of lignocellulosic biomass as a feedstock for ethanol production (availability, price, non-competitiveness with food, waste material), many technological bottlenecks hinder its wide industrial application and competitiveness with 1st generation ethanol production. Among the main technological challenges are the recalcitrant structure of the material, and thus the need for extensive pretreatment (usually physico-chemical followed by enzymatic hydrolysis) to yield fermentable sugars, and a relatively low concentration of monosaccharides in the medium that hinder the achievement of ethanol concentrations comparable with those obtained using 1st generation feedstocks (e.g. corn or molasses). The presence of both pentose and hexose sugars in the fermentation broth, the price of cellulolytic enzymes, and the presence of toxic compounds that can inhibit cellulolytic enzymes and microbial producers of ethanol are major issues. In this review, different process configurations of the main technological steps (enzymatic hydrolysis, fermentation of hexose/and or pentose sugars) are discussed and their efficiencies are compared. The main features, benefits and drawbacks of simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF), simultaneous saccharification and fermentation with delayed inoculation (dSSF), consolidated bioprocesses (CBP) combining production of cellulolytic enzymes, hydrolysis of biomass and fermentation into one step, together with an approach combining utilization of both pentose and hexose sugars are discussed and compared with separate hydrolysis and fermentation (SHF) processes. The impact of individual technological steps on final process efficiency is emphasized and the potential for use of immobilized biocatalysts is considered.

Use of fluorescent staining and flow cytometry for monitoring physiological changes in solventogenic clostridia.

Physiological changes in populations of Clostridium beijerinckii and Clostridium tetanomorphum were monitored by fluorescence staining and flow cytometry. To estimate the number of metabolically active cells in exponential growth, a combination of the dyes propidium iodide and carboxy fluorescein diacetate appeared to be a good choice for both species. During stationary phase, these stains did not reflect physiological changes sufficiently and therefore additional labeling with bis-(1,3-dibutylbarbituric acid) trimethineoxonol was applied. Results of fluorescence staining in solventogenic batch fermentations were compared with substrate-use data, the concentration of key metabolites and growth curves. We demonstrate that measurements by all methods were mutually compatible.

Novel and neglected issues of acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation by clostridia: Clostridium metabolic diversity, tools for process mapping and continuous fermentation systems.

This review emphasises the fact that studies of acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation by solventogenic clostridia cannot be limited to research on the strain Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824. Various 1-butanol producing species of the genus Clostridium, which differ in their patterns of product formation and abilities to ferment particular carbohydrates or glycerol, are described. Special attention is devoted to species and strains that do not produce acetone naturally and to the utilisation of lactose, inulin, glycerol and mixtures of pentose and hexose carbohydrates. Furthermore, process-mapping tools based on different principles, including flow cytometry, DNA microarray analysis, mass spectrometry, Raman microscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy and anisotropy of electrical polarisability, which might facilitate fermentation control and a deeper understanding of ABE fermentation, are introduced. At present, the methods with the greatest potential are flow cytometry and transcriptome analysis. Flow cytometry can be used to visualise and capture cells within clostridial populations as they progress through the normal cell cycle, in which symmetric and asymmetric cell division phases alternate. Cell viability of a population of Clostridium pasteurianum NRRL B-598 was determined by flow cytometry. Transcriptome analysis has been used in various studies including the detection of genes expressed in solventogenic phase, at sporulation, in the stress response, to compare expression patterns of different strains or parent and mutant strains, for studies of catabolite repression, and for the detection of genes involved in the transport and metabolism of 11 different carbohydrates. Interestingly, the results of transcriptome analysis also challenge our earlier understanding of the role of the Spo0A regulator in initiation of solventogenesis in C. acetobutylicum ATCC 824. Lastly, the review describes other significant recent discoveries, including the deleterious effects of intracellular formic acid accumulation in C. acetobutylicum DSM 1731 cells on the metabolic switch from acidogenesis to solventogenesis and the development of a high-cell density continuous system using Clostridium saccharoperbutylacetonicum N1-4, in which 1-butanol productivity of 7.99 g/L/h was reached.

INFLUENCIA DE LA AIREACIÓN EN LA ACTIVIDAD FERMENTATIVA DE Kloeckera apiculata DURANTE LA FERMENTACIÓN DE JUGO DE MANZANA / Influence of Aeration in the Fermentative Activity of Kloeckera apiculata during Fermentation of Apple Juice

Se ha estudiado la influencia de la aireación en la actividad fermentativa de Kloeckera apiculata RIVE 9-2-1 con el objetivo de evaluar la producción de metabolitos de la fermentación. Para ello, la cepa se cultivó en frascos Erlenmeyer conteniendo jugo de manzana esterilizado y sin aroma, y los compuestos químicos producidos durante la fermentación en cultivo agitado (200 min-1) y estático (sin agitación) se determinaron. Los resultados mostraron que la agitación del medio de cultivo incrementa la producción de alcoholes superiores (hasta 591,0 mg/L) comparado al cultivo estático, mientras que por el contrario, la producción de ácido acético, etil acetato y glicerol (260,0 ± 11,0 mg/L, 196,0 ± 10,0 mg/L y 2,6 ± 0,2 g/L) resultaron ser mayores que en cultivo agitado (222,0 ± 8,0 mg/L, 96,0 ± 4,5 mg/L y 1,8 ± 0,2 g/L) respectivamente. Cultivos bacth realizados en biorreactor con un flujo de aire de 25 L/h reportaron una tasa de crecimiento (µ) de 0,17 h-1, producción de etanol (12,5 ± 2,0 g/L) y otros compuestos típicamente producidos durante la fermentación alcohólica. La concentración de oxígeno disuelto en el medio de fermentación afecta su metabolismo así, cantidades insuficientes de oxígeno provocaría un metabolismo respirofermentativo. Los mejores resultados en términos de calidad organoléptica de la bebida fermentada en lo referente al aroma, sabor y olor se obtuvieron en la fermentación en cultivo estático. El control de la aireación del medio de fermentación puede ser usado para controlar la síntesis de compuestos químicos de impacto sensorial en la producción de bebidas fermentadas.

The influence of aireation on the fermentative activity of Kloeckera apiculata RIVE 9-2-1 was studied in order to evaluate the production of metabolites of the fermentation. To achieve this, the strain was cultured in Erlenmeyer flasks containing sterilized and aroma removed apple juice, and the chemical compounds produced during fermentation in shaken (200 min-1) and static (without agitation) cultivation were determined. The results showed that the agitation of the culture medium increases production of higher alcohols (till 591.0 mg/L) compared to static cultivation, whereas on the contrary, the production of acetic acid, ethyl acetate and glycerol (260.0 ± 11.0 mg/L, 196.0 ± 10.0 mg/L y 2.6±0.2 g/L) were higher compared to shaken cultivation (222.0 ± 8.0 mg/L, 96.0 ± 4.5 mg/L and 1.8 ± 0.2 g/L) respectively. Batch cultivations carried out in bioreactor with air flux of 25 l/h reported a growth rate (µ) of 0.17 h-1, production of ethanol (12.5 ± 2.0 g/L) and other compounds typically produced during alcoholic fermentation. The concentration of dissolved oxygen in the fermentation medium affects its metabolism thus; insufficient amounts of oxygen would provoke a respirofermentative metabolism. The best results in terms of organoleptic quality of the fermented beverage regarding to aroma, taste and flavour was obtained when fermented in static cultivation. The control of aeration during fermentation can be used to control the synthesis of chemical compounds of sensory impact in the production of fermented beverages.

Rapid flow cytometric method for viability determination of solventogenic clostridia.

We endeavored to develop a method for viability determination of solventogenic clostridia and to apply it for monitoring acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation. Six fluorescent probes (propidium iodide [PI], ethidium bromide, fluorescein diacetate, carboxyfluorescein diacetate [cFDA], rhodamine 123, bis-(1,3-dibutylbarbituric acid)trimethine oxonol [BOX]) were tested in order to distinguish two subpopulations of live and dead clostridial cells in suspension. Three of them were found to be appropriate (PI, BOX and cFDA) for this purpose. Developed fluorescent staining methods were applied to batch fermentation processes of Clostridium pasteurianum and C. beijerinckii carried out in a laboratory bioreactor under anaerobic conditions. Whereas PI was found to be applicable to both strains, BOX was convenient only for viability determination of C. pasteurianum. Although cFDA can distinguish two cell subpopulations in suspension, it was found to be unsuitable for viability determination under tested conditions, since it reflected more variable esterase activity during sporulation cell cycle than viability. Flow cytometry in combination with convenient fluorescent probe has been proved to be a valuable tool for viability determination. We assume this rapid and simple method can help to obtain more complex and precise information about ABE fermentation.

Estudio de la actividad fermentativa de Hansenula anomala y producción de compuestos químicos de importancia sensorial / Study of the fermentative activity of Hansenula anomala and production of chemical compounds of sensory importance

Se ha estudiado la actividad fermentativa de Hansenula anomala RIVE 7-1-5 con el objetivo de evaluar la producción de compuestos químicos de importancia sensorial. Los resultados mostraron que fermenta bien monosacáridos y también sucrosa y maltosa. Su actividad fermentativa es inhibida a concentraciones de 100,0mg/L de metabisulfito de sodio en el medio. Además, es capaz de producir 5,81±0,1 % v/v de etanol. La agitación del medio de cultivo incrementa la producción de alcoholes superiores (679,2 mg/L) y etil acetato (206,0±8,0 mg/L), por el contrario disminuye la producción de ácido acético (196,0±7,0 mg/L). La producción de glicerol fue similiar tanto en cultivo estático (sin agitación) como agitado. Durante el cultivo batch en biorreactor a condiciones aireadas la tasa de crecimiento (µ) alcanzó el valor de 0,13 h-1 y se observó la producción de ácido acético hasta 4,2±0,3 g/L. La concentración de oxígeno en el medio afecta su metabolismo, así cantidades insuficientes de oxígeno provocaría un metabolismo respirofermentativo con la producción de etanol, alcoholes superiores, ésteres y ácido acético. El control de la aireación al medio de fermentación es una herramienta útil para controlar el balance entre la actividad respiratoria y fermentativa y así la síntesis de compuestos de importancia sensorial en la producción de bebidas fermentadas no tradicionales.

The fermentative behaviour of Hansenula anomala RIVE 7-1-5 was studied in order to evaluate the production of chemical compounds of sensory importance. The results demonstrated that the strain ferments very well monosaccharides and also sucrose and maltose. Its fermentative activity was inhibited at concentrations of 100 mg/L of sodium metabisulphite in the medium. Furthermore, it was able to produce 5,81±0,1% (v/v) of ethanol. Agitation of the culture medium increases the production of higher alcohols (679,2 mg/L) and ethyl acetate (206,0±8,0 mg/L), but on the contrary affects the production of acetic acid (196,0±7,0mg/L). Glycerol production was similar in static (without agitation) and shaken cultivation. During batch cultivation carried out in biorreactor under aerated conditions the growth rate (µ) reached value of 0,13 h-1 and, it was also observed production of acetic acid at levels of 4,2±0,3 g/L. The oxygen concentration in the medium affects its metabolism, thus insufficient amounts of oxygen would provoke a respirofermentative metabolism with production of ethanol, higher alcohols, esters and acetic acid. The control of aeration during fermentation is a useful tool to control the balance between the respiratory and fermentative activity and thus; synthesis of compounds of sensory importance in the production of non-traditional fermented beverages.

Actividad fermentativa de Hanseniaspora uvarum y su importancia en la producción de bebidas fermentadas / Fermentative activity of Hanseniaspora uvarum and its importance in production of fermented beverages

Se estudió la actividad fermentativa de Hanseniaspora uvarum RIVE 6-2-2 con el objetivo de evaluar su importancia en los procesos de producción de bebidas fermentadas. La cepa se cultivó en frascos Erlenmeyer conteniendo jugo de manzana esterilizado y sin aroma, y se determinaron los compuestos químicos de importancia sensorial producidos durante la fermentación en cultivo agitado (200 min-1) y estático (sin agitación). Los resultados mostraron que la cepa fue capaz de producir etanol hasta 4,02±0,1v/v% en cultivo estático a 28 °C. La agitación del medio de cultivo incrementó la producción de alcoholes superiores (hasta 488,2 mg/L) y ácido acético (468,0±10,2 mg/L) comparado al cultivo estático, mientras que por el contrario, la producción de etil acetato y glicerol (189,0±12,0 mg/L y 3,2±0,3 g/L) resultó ser mayor que en cultivo agitado (142,0±8,0 mg/L y 2,3±0,25 g/L) respectivamente. Cultivos bacth realizados adicionalmente reportaron una tasa de crecimiento (μ) de 0,05 h-1 y producción de pequeñas cantidades de compuestos típicamente encontrados en la fermentación alcohólica. Los mejores resultados, en términos de calidad organoléptica (aroma, sabor y olor), se obtuvieron en la fermentación en cultivo estático. El control de la aireación del medio de fermentación es una herramienta importante para controlar la síntesis de compuestos de importancia sensorial en la producción de bebidas fermentadas.

The fermentation activity of Hanseniaspora uvarum RIVE 6-2-2 was studied with the purpose of evaluating its importance in the production process of fermented beverages. The strain was cultured in Erlenmeyer flasks, which contained sterilized and odorless apple juice, and the chemical compounds of sensorial importance produced during fermentation in shaken (200 min-1), and static (without shaking) cultures at 28 ºC were determined. The results showed that the strains were capable of producing ethanol up to 4.20±0.1v/v% in static cultures at 28 ºC. Shaking of the culture medium increased the superior alcohol production (up to 488.2 mg/L) and acetic acid (468.0± 10.2 mg/L), when compared with the static culture; on the other hand, the production of ethyl acetate and glycerol (189.0±12.0 mg/L and 3.2±0.3 g/L) was higher in static than in shaken cultures (142.0±8.0 mg/L and 2.3±0.25 g/L), respectively. Additional batch cultures reported a growth rate (µ) of 0.05 h-1 and production of small amounts of compounds typically found in alcoholic fermentation. The best results, in terms of organoleptic qualities (aroma, taste and smell), were found in the static culture fermentation. The aeration control of the fermentation medium is an important tool for controlling the synthesis of sensorial importance compounds in the production of fermented beverages.

Optimization of feeding strategy for the ergosterol production by yeasts saccharomyces cerevisiae / Optimización de la estrategia de alimentación para la producción de ergosterol por levaduras saccharomyces cerevisiae

Objective of this study was to optimize ergosterol production by yeast strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae with the use of computer controlled feeding of cultivation medium. Baker´s yeasts strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae originally modified and selected as mutant D7 was further applied in an industrial scale and also in this investigation. Composition of cultivation medium was optimized with the use of a modified Rosenbrock´s method with regard to following components: glucose, yeast extract, ammonium sulphate, potassium dihydrogen phosphate, magnesium sulphate and calcium chloride. Cultivation of yeast culture was performed in 7 L laboratory bioreactor with a working volume of 5 L equipped with a control unit and linked to a computer, with dissolved oxygen tension measurement, oxygen and carbon dioxide analyzers. BIOGENES prototype software was created from the commercial control system Genesis for Windows 3.0 (GFW), from Iconics and CLIPS 6.04 for the PC-Windows platform. From various factors affecting sterol biosynthesis a specific growth rate was chosen. Feed rate was controlled according to mathematical model. In this case it dealt with a design of optimal profile of specific growth rate with consequent calculation of carbon dioxide profile. Sterol concentration in the dry biomass increased from 1.0 % up to 3 %.

El objetivo de este estudio fue optimizar la producción de ergosterol por una cepa de levadura Saccharomyces cerevisiae, controlando la alimentación de medio de cultivo por computadora. La cepa de levadura panadera Saccharomyces cerevisiae originalmente modificada y seleccionada como mutante D7 fue posteriormente utilizada a escala industrial y también para esta investigación. La composición del medio de cultivo fue optimizada usando el método modificado de Rosenbrock respecto a los siguientes componentes: glucosa, extracto de levadura, sulfato de amonio, fosfato dihidrógeno de potasio, sulfato de magnesio y cloruro de calcio. El cultivo de las células de levadura se llevó a cabo en un biorreactor de laboratorio de 7L con un volumen de trabajo de 5L, equipado con una unidad de control conectada a una computadora, con medición de la tensión de oxígeno disuelto y analizadores de oxígeno y dióxido de carbono. Un software prototipo BIOGENES fue creado a partir del sistema de control comercial Genesis para Windows 3.0 (GFW), de Iconics y CLIPS 6.04 para la plataforma de PC-Windows. A partir de varios factores que afectan la biosíntesis de esterol se escogió una tasa específica de crecimiento. La tasa de alimentación se controló mediante un modelo matemático. En este caso, se trató con un diseño de perfil óptimo de tasa de crecimiento específico con un consecuente cálculo del perfil de dióxido de carbono. La concentración de esterol en la biomasa seca se incrementó desde 1,0% hasta 3%.

Producción de acido láctico por Lactobacillus plantarum L10 en cultivos batch y continuo / Production of lactic acid by Lactobacillus plantarum L10 on batch and continuous cultivation

Se ha ensayado a escala de laboratorio la cepa Lactobacillus plantarum L10, para la producción de ácido láctico en cultivos batch y continuo; además se ha optimizado la composición del medio y las condiciones de cultivo para este propósito. Los mejores parámetros de producción de ácido láctico encontrados en cultivo batch fueron los siguientes: YP/S 86,1 por ciento; PP 5,4 g/L/h; unido a YX/S 13,2 por ciento; PX 1,2 g/L/h y n = 0,2 h-1, el cultivo se ha llevado a cabo en un medio conteniendo glucosa 70 g/L; extracto de levadura 12,1 g/L; KH2PO4 1,2 g/L; (NH4)2HPO4 1,2 g/L; citrato de amonio 3,0 g/L; MgSO4. 7H2O 0,3 g/L y MnSO4. 4H2O 0,03 g/L. Así mismo los mejores parámetros de producción de ácido láctico encontrados en cultivo continuo fueron los siguientes: YP/S 96 por ciento; P´P 6,0 g/L/h; unido a YX/S 19 por ciento; P´X 1,2 g/L/h; y tasa de dilución (D) 0,46 h-1.

Strain of Lactobacillus plantarum L10 was tested at laboratory scale, in order to evaluate the production of lactic acid on batch and continuous cultivation. Furthermore, optimization of culture medium and cultivation conditions were carried out too. The best parameters obtained for lactic acid production on batch cultivation were: YP/S 86,1 per cent; PP 5,4 g/L/h; joined to YX/S 13,2 per cent; PX 1,2 g/L/h and n = 0,2 h-1, the medium composition was as follows: glucose 70 g/L; yeast extract 12,1 g/L; KH2PO4 1,2 g/L; (NH4)2HPO4 1,2 g/L; ammonium citrate 3,0 g/L; MgSO4. 7H2O 0,3 g/L and MnSO4. 4H2O 0,03 g/L. Respecting to continuous cultivation the best parameters obtained for production of lactic acid were: YP/S 96 per cent; P´P 6,0 g/L/h; joined to YX/S 19 per cent; P´X 1,2 g/L/h; and dilution rate (D) 0,46 h-1.