title: Autolysis of Blakeslea trispora during carotene production from cheese whey in an airlift reactor.
abstract: The phenomenon of autolysis in Blakeslea trispora during carotene production from deproteinized hydrolyzed whey in an airlift reactor was investigated. The process of cellular autolysis was studied by measuring the changes in carotene concentration, dry biomass, residual sugars, pH, intracellular protein, specific activity of the hydrolytic enzymes (proteases, chitinase), and micromorphology of the fungus using a computerized image analysis system. All these parameters were useful indicators of autolysis, but image analysis was found to be the most useful indicator of the onset and progress of autolysis in the culture. Autolysis of B. trispora began early in the growth phase, continued during the stationary phase, and increased significantly in the decline phase. The morphological differentiation of the fungus was a result of the degradation of the cell membrane by hydrolytic enzymes. The biosynthesis of carotenes was carried out in the exponential phase, where the phenomenon of autolysis was not intense.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Technology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Varzakakou
authors.forename: Triantafyllos
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Roukas
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Papaioannou
authors.forename: Parthena
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kotzekidou
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liakopoulou-Kyriakides
mesh_terms: D018533:Biomass; D019149:Bioreactors; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000201:enzymology*; D002688:Chitinases / Q000378:metabolism; D005285:Fermentation; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007218:Industrial Microbiology / Q000379:methods*; D009090:Mucorales / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000648:ultrastructure; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D019207:beta Carotene; D002688:Chitinases