Production of beta-glucan and related glucan-hydrolases by Botryosphaeria rhodina.
OBJECTIVE
Characterization of beta-glucan production from Botryosphaeria rhodina DABAC-P82 by detecting simultaneously glucan-hydrolytic enzymes and their localization, culture medium rheology and oxygen transfer.


RESULTS
Mycelium growth, beta-glucan production, substrate consumption and glucan-hydrolytic enzymes were monitored both in shaken flasks and in a 3-l stirred-tank bioreactor. Glucan production (19.7 and 15.2 g l(-1), in flask and bioreactor, respectively) was accompanied by extra-cellular and cell-bound beta-glucanase and beta-glucosidase activities. In the bioreactor scale, in the time interval of 0-78 h the apparent viscosity of the culture broth exhibited a general increase; thereafter, it began to reduce, probably because of the above glucan-hydrolytic activities. Moreover, the culture media collected after 45 h behaved as solid-like materials at shear rates smaller than 0.001 s(-1), as pseudo-plastic liquids in the middle shear rate range and as Newtonian ones at shear rates greater than 1000 s(-1).


CONCLUSIONS
The greatest beta-glucan accumulation in the bioreactor was found to be associated with nitrogen and dissolved oxygen concentrations smaller than 0.15 g l(-1) and 25%, respectively, and with the peak points of the glucan-degrading enzymes.


CONCLUSIONS
A careful analysis of the critical factors (such as, culture broth rheology, oxygen mass transfer and glucan-hydrolytic enzymes) limiting the beta-glucan production by B. rhodina is a prerequisite to maximize beta-glucan yield and production, as well as to define the process flow sheet capable of maximizing biopolymer recovery, solvent re-utilization and glucose consumption.
Crognale
S
S
Dipartimento di Agrobiologia ed Agrochimica, University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy.
Bruno
M
M
Fidaleo
M
M
Moresi
M
M
Petruccioli
M
M
D001203:Ascomycota / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D018533:Biomass; D019149:Bioreactors; D003470:Culture Media; D005285:Fermentation / Q000502:physiology; D005936:Glucans / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006868:Hydrolysis; D025282:Mycelium / Q000254:growth & development; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D012212:Rheology; D014783:Viscosity; D047071:beta-Glucans / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D001617:beta-Glucosidase / Q000378:metabolism
D003470:Culture Media; D005936:Glucans; D047071:beta-Glucans; D001617:beta-Glucosidase