Enhancement of antroquinonol production during batch fermentation using pH control coupled with an oxygen vector

• Published in: Journal of the science of food and agriculture 2019-01, Vol.99 (1), p.449-456
• Main Authors: Xia, Yongjun, Chen, Yan, Liu, Xiaofeng, Zhou, Xuan, Wang, Zhaochu, Wang, Guangqiang, Xiong, Zhiqiang, Ai, Lianzhong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anticancer properties; Antrodia - metabolism; Antrodia camphorata; antroquinonol; Batch Cell Culture Techniques - instrumentation; Batch Cell Culture Techniques - methods; Bioreactors; Bioreactors - microbiology; Biosynthesis; Culture Media - chemistry; Culture Media - metabolism; Dissolved oxygen; Fermentation; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Inflammation; n‐tetradecane; Organic chemistry; Oxygen; Oxygen - analysis; Oxygen - metabolism; oxygen vector; pH control; pH effects; Solid state fermentation; Tetradecane; Ubiquinone; Ubiquinone - analogs & derivatives; Ubiquinone - biosynthesis; Ubiquinone - metabolism
• ISSN: 0022-5142; 1097-0010
• DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.9206

BACKGROUND Antroquinonol, a ubiquinone derivative that shows anticancer and anti‐inflammatory activities, is produced during solid‐state fermentation of Antrodia camphorata; however, it cannot be biosynthesized via conventional submerged fermentation. RESULTS A method for enhancing the biosynthesis of antroquinonol by controlling pH and adding an oxygen vector in a 7 L bioreactor was studied. In shake‐flask experiments, a maximum antroquinonol production of 31.39 ± 0.78 mg L−1 was obtained by fermentation with adding 0.2 g L−1 coenzyme Q0 (CoQ0), at the 96th hour. Following kinetic analysis of the fermentation process, pH control strategies were investigated. A maximum antroquinonol production of 86.47 ± 3.65 mg L−1 was achieved when the pH was maintained at 5.0, which exhibited an increase of 348.03% higher than the batch without pH regulation (19.30 ± 0.88 mg L−1). The conversion rate of CoQ0 improved from 1.51% to 20.20%. Further research revealed that the addition of n‐tetradecane could increase the production of antroquinonol to 115.62 ± 4.87 mg L−1 by increasing the dissolved oxygen in the fermentation broth. CONCLUSION The results demonstrated that pH played an important role in antroquinonol synthesis in the presence of the effective precursor CoQ0. It was a very effective strategy to increase the yield of antroquinonol by controlling pH and adding oxygen vector. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry