Preparation and characterization of semi-hydrophobic cryogels for culture of Lactobacillus strains and bioconversion towards phenyllactic acid bioproduction

• Published in: Biochemical engineering journal 2022-02, Vol.179, p.108312, Article 108312
• Main Authors: Lou, Xiaoling, Jiang, Yibin, Zhao, Feng, Zhang, Yixian, Qu, Xing, Liu, Tanjin, Zhang, Wei, Zhu, Lingyu, Yun, Junxian
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biotransformation; Capillary-based model; Cryogels; Culture; Lactobacillus strains; Phenyllactic acid
• ISSN: 1369-703X; 1873-295X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bej.2021.108312

Semi-hydrophobic poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-butyl methacrylate) cryogels were prepared via cryo-copolymerization and characterized with a capillary-based model. These cryogels were used as carriers for culture of Lactobacillus cells to prepare cell-loaded cryogels, which were employed as novel biocatalysts for production of phenyllactic acid. Lactobacillus cells were grown successfully within cryogels and the cell production was enhanced. The maximum cell concentrations of 32.7, 38.7 and 30.8 g/L were achieved with cryogels as cell carriers in the cultivation and co-culture of L. casei and L. paracasei, which were 18.2%, 37.5% and 22.0% higher than those without cryogels. The maximum yield from phenylalanine to phenyllactic acid with the cell-loaded cryogels by co-culture of two strains was 5.4 and 4.2 times of those with the cell-loaded cryogels by culture of single strain of L. casei and L. paracasei, respectively. The results indicated that semi-hydrophobic cryogels could be interesting carriers for phenyllactic acid biosynthesis with Lactobacillus strains directly from the cheap precursor, phenylalanine. [Display omitted] •Semi-hydrophobic pHEMA-BMA cryogels were prepared via cryo-copolymerization.•Pore size distribution in semi-hydrophobic cryogels was characterized by capillary modelling.•Culture and co-culture of L. casei and L. paracasei with semi-hydrophobic cryogels were achieved.•Maximum cell concentrations of 38.7 g/L with enhancement of 37.5% was observed.•PLA yield using co-culture cell-loaded cryogels was 5.4 and 4.2 times of those with single ones.