title: Use of metabolic stimulators and inhibitors for enhanced production of beta-carotene and lycopene by Blakeslea trispora NRRL 2895 and 2896.
abstract: This work investigates the potential of metabolic stimulators, firstly to enhance the production of beta-carotene, and later use of inhibitors of lycopene cyclase so as to accumulate lycopene in the fermentation medium. Various non-ionic surfactants, natural oils, stimulators such as amino-acids, tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) intermediates, vitamin A and antibiotics were investigated for improved production of beta-carotene using the zygomycete fungus Blakeslea trispora. Span 20 at 0.2% increased the beta-carotene production from 139 mg/l to 318 mg/l. Examination of the mycelial morphology of the B. trispora with span 20 showed a shorter mycelial length, which allowed a well-dispersed growth of B. trispora. Supplementation of the medium with 1000 ppm vitamin A acetate gave highest concentration of beta-carotene (830+/-6 mg/l). Several chemical inhibitors such as imidazole, pyridine, triethylamine, piperidine, and nicotinic acid were then evaluated to block the biosynthesis at lycopene. Piperidine at 500 ppm gave a 7.76-fold improvement, and produced high titers of lycopene (775+/-5 mg/l) in a medium supplemented with vitamin A acetate.
authors.affiliation: Food Engineering and Technology Department, Institute of Chemical Technology, University of Mumbai, Matunga, Mumbai 400 019, India. sheetalchoudhari@yahoo.co.in <sheetalchoudhari@yahoo.co.in>
authors.forename: Sheetal M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Choudhari
authors.forename: Laxmi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ananthanarayan
authors.forename: Rekha S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Singhal
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D018533:Biomass; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D003470:Culture Media; D005285:Fermentation; D007700:Kinetics; D000077276:Lycopene; D009089:Mucor / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D003470:Culture Media; D019207:beta Carotene; D002338:Carotenoids; D000077276:Lycopene