Selectivity in citric acid production by Yarrowia lipolytica

• Published in: Enzyme and microbial technology Vol. 28; no. 2; pp. 189 - 195
• Main Authors: Antonucci, S, Bravi, M, Bubbico, R, Di Michele, A, Verdone, N
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Inc 01.02.2001; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Batch fermentation; Biological and medical sciences; Biomass-recycle fermentor; Biotechnology; Citric acid; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; isocitric acid; Methods. Procedures. Technologies; Microbial engineering. Fermentation and microbial culture technology; Yarrowia lipolytica; Biomass-recycle fermentor; Batch fermentation; Citric acid; Yarrowia lipolytica; Yeast; Selectivity; Glucose; Fungi; Bioreactor; Batchwise; Concentration effect; Production; Saccharomycopsis lipolytica; Ascomycetes; Citric fermentation; Recycling; Thallophyta
• ISSN: 0141-0229; 1879-0909
• DOI: 10.1016/S0141-0229(00)00288-X

This experimental study reports about production selectivity in the fermentation of glucose to citric acid by Yarrowia lipolytica as a function of substrate concentration. Batch runs featuring biomass growth and one or two citric acid production phases were carried out in a 15-l stirred tank fermentor. The presented results demonstrate that working at high initial substrate concentration in the production phase is beneficial both in terms of a higher production rate of citric acid, the desired metabolite (reaching 0.077 h −1) and of a higher utilization degree of the employed carbon source (yield up to 0.384 g c.a./g glucose). The production rate of isocitric acid, the major undesired metabolite, was found to be practically constant over the tested initial substrate concentration range.