Enhanced Formation of β‐Glucosidase by Aspergillus niger VKMF‐2092 in Fed‐Batch Operation with Frequently Intermittent Glucose Addition

Abstract

The wild strain Aspergillus niger VKMF-2092 forms β-glucosidase on the basis of glucose as the sole carbon source. The formation of β-glucosidase is initiated after the glucose concentration in the medium has reached a low level since the formation is subjected to catabolite repression. The β-glucosidase is mainly cell-bound and only released after a longer period. Under non-repressed conditions the total formation of β-glucosidase is not associated with growth. By supplying glucose in a fed-batch-technique, maintaining a low actual glucose concentration in the medium, the formation of β-glucosidase is enhanced in comparison to simple batch fermentation. Using a fed-batch-technique with a frequently intermittent addition of glucose it is possible to increase the formation of β-glucosidase with regard to both productivity and the activity related to the mycelium and the fermentation broth as well. The increase of productivity is about two to four times greater than at constant feed rate of the same overall amount of glucose. The reason for this increase will be discussed below. A method is presented which permits to investigate the influence of the substrate concentration and other parameters on the enzyme formation in short periods of one and the same fermentation run.