Compactin Production Studies Using Penicillium brevicompactum Under Solid-State Fermentation Conditions

• Published in: Applied biochemistry and biotechnology 2009-11, Vol.159 (2), p.505-520
• Main Authors: Shaligram, N. S, Singh, S. K, Singhal, R. S, Pandey, A, Szakacs, G
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Algorithms; Ammonium nitrate; Biochemistry; Bioreactors - microbiology; Biotechnology; Cell Culture Techniques - methods; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Computer Simulation; Fermentation; Fungi; Inhibitor drugs; Lovastatin - analogs & derivatives; Lovastatin - isolation & purification; Lovastatin - metabolism; Metabolites; Models, Biological; Penicillium - classification; Penicillium - metabolism; Penicillium brevicompactum; Sodium chloride; Species Specificity
• ISSN: 0273-2289; 1559-0291
• DOI: 10.1007/s12010-008-8461-3

In the present study, compactin production by Penicillium brevicompactum WA 2315 was optimized using solid-state fermentation. The initial one factor at a time approach resulted in improved compactin production of 905 μg gds⁻¹ compared to initial 450 μg gds⁻¹. Subsequently, nutritional, physiological, and biological parameters were screened using fractional factorial and Box-Behnken design. The fractional factorial design studied inoculum age, inoculum volume, pH, NaCl, NH₄NO₃, MgSO₄, and KH₂PO₄. All parameters were found to be significant except pH and KH₂PO₄. The Box-Behnken design studied inoculum volume, inoculum age, glycerol, and NH₄NO₃ at three different levels. Inoculum volume (p = 0.0013) and glycerol (p = 0.0001) were significant factors with greater effect on response. The interaction effects were not significant. The validation study using model-defined conditions resulted in an improved yield of 1,250 μg gds⁻¹ compactin. Further improvement in yield was obtained using fed batch mode of carbon supplementation. The feeding of glycerol (20% v/v) on day 3 resulted in further improved compactin yield of 1,406 μg gds⁻¹. The present study demonstrates that agro-industrial residues can be successfully used for compactin production, and statistical experiment designs provide an easy tool to improve the process conditions for secondary metabolite production.