title: Coenzyme Q10 production in a 150-l reactor by a mutant strain of Rhodobacter sphaeroides.
abstract: For the commercial production of CoQ(10), batch-type fermentations were attempted in a 150-l fermenter using a mutant strain of R. sphaeroides. Optimum temperature and initial aeration rate were found to be 30 degrees C and 2 vvm, respectively. Under optimum fermentation conditions, the maximum value of specific CoQ(10) content was achieved reproducibly as 6.34 mg/g DCW after 24 h, with 3.02 g/l of DCW. During the fermentation, aeration shift (from the adequate aeration at the early growth phase to the limited aeration in active cellular metabolism) was a key factor in CoQ(10) production for scale-up. A higher value of the specific CoQ(10) content (8.12 mg/g DCW) was achieved in fed-batch fermentation and comparable to those produced by the pilot-scale fed-batch fermentations of A. tumefaciens, which indicated that the mutant strain of R. sphaeroides used in this study was a potential high CoQ(10) producer. This is the first detailed study to demonstrate a pilot-scale production of CoQ(10) using a mutant strain of R. sphaeroides.
authors.affiliation: Division of Food Science and Biotechnology, Pukyong National University, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Nguyen Ba
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Kien
authors.forename: In-Soo
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Min-Gyu
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Joong Kyun
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D005285:Fermentation; D007218:Industrial Microbiology; D009154:Mutation; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012242:Rhodobacter sphaeroides / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D013696:Temperature; D014451:Ubiquinone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D014451:Ubiquinone; C024989:coenzyme Q10