Extractive fermentation for improved production of endoglucanase by an intergeneric fusant of Trichoderma reesei/Saccharomyces cerevisiae using aqueous two-phase system

Extractive aqueous two-phase fermentation of endoglucanase, a key enzyme for the conversion of cellulosic substances to fermentable sugars, from an intergeneric fusant of Trichoderma reesei/Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a meaningful approach for better production and simple recovery of this enzyme. A phase composition of 6.5% (w/w) dextran and 7.5% (w/w) polyethylene glycol 6000, having a partition coefficient of 2.89 and 1.31 for endoglucanase from an intergeneric fusant of T. reesei/S. cerevisiae and T. reesei (WT) (being a control in this study), respectively, was chosen for extractive fermentation of the enzyme. Endoglucanase production is higher in medium containing polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000 than in medium without PEG 6000. Comparative analysis of endoglucanase fermentation by fusant and T. reesei was carried out in shake culture and environment-controlled bioreactor conditions. The fusant produced 0.43U of endoglucanase (overall production: 0.34U) in the top phase of an aqueous two-phase system (ATPS), compared to 0.3U in medium without the phase system in shake culture. In a batch reactor, the endoglucanase level for the fusant in the top phase of ATPS was 0.49U (overall production: 0.40U), compared to 0.38U produced in medium without aqueous two-phase components. To corroborate this study, T. reesei produced 8.41U of endoglucanase (overall production: 5.96U) in the top phase of ATPS, compared to 7.18U in the medium without the phase system in shake culture. On the other hand, in a batch bioreactor, T. reesei produced 10.13U of endoglucanase (overall production: 6.90U) in the top phase of ATPS, compared to 8.56U of the enzyme in medium without aqueous two-phase components. The lower overall enzyme production by T. reesei in the two-phase system might be due to limitation in oxygen transfer to the dispersed phase where the enzyme is produced. A higher cell concentration and a reduced lag phase was obtained in ATPS, compared to a similar medium without phase forming polymers for both the intergeneric fusant of T. reesei/S. cerevisiae and T. reesei.     

Enhanced production of lactic acid through the use of a novel aqueous two-phase system as an extractive fermentation system

 In order to enhance the productivity of lactic acid and reduce the end-product inhibition of fermentation, the partitioning and growth of four different strains of lactic acid bacteria in three different aqueous two-phase systems were studied. Polyethyleneglycol/ dextran, polyethyleneglycol/hydroxypropyl starch polymer (HPS), and a random copolymer of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide (EO-PO)/HPS were used as polymer systems. One strain each of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis and of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. delbrueckii partitioned completely to the interface and bottom phase in two-phase systems with low polymer concentrations of EO-PO/HPS100 and EO-PO/ HPS200. The growth and production of lactic acid by two of three L. lactis strains in a two-phase system with 5.5% (w/w) EO-PO and 12.0% (w/w) HPS100 were reduced by less than 10% compared with a reference fermentation in a normal growth medium. The viability of L. lactis subsp. lactis ATCC 19435 was maintained for at least 50 h and with four top-phase replacements during extractive fermentation in the EO-PO/HPS100 system. Moreover, when cell density reached the stationary phase in the first extractive fermentation, the lactate production in this aqueous two-phase system was maintained. Received: 2 October 1995/Received revision: 16 January 1996/Accepted: 22 January 1996     

Benzene/toluene/p-xylene degradation. Part I. Solvent selection and toluene degradation in a two-phase partitioning bioreactor

A two-phase organic/aqueous reactor configuration was developed for use in the biodegradation of benzene, toluene and p-xylene, and tested with toluene. An immiscible organic phase was systematically selected on the basis of predicted and experimentally determined properties, such as high boiling points, low solubilities in the aqueous phase, good phase stability, biocompatibility, and good predicted partition coefficients for benzene, toluene and p-xylene. An industrial grade of oleyl alcohol was ultimately selected for use in the two-phase partitioning bioreactor. In order to examine the behavior of the system, a single-component fermentation of toluene was conducted with Pseudomonas sp. ATCC 55595. A 0.5-l sample of Adol 85 NF was loaded with 10.4 g toluene, which partitioned into the cell containing 1 l aqueous medium at a concentration of approximately 50 mg/l. In consuming the toluene to completion, the organisms were able to achieve a volumetric degradation rate of 0.115 g l⁻¹ h⁻¹. This system is self-regulating with respect to toluene delivery to the aqueous phase, and requires only feedback control of temperature and pH. Received: 16 November 1998 / Received revision: 28 March 1999 / Accepted: 9 April 1999     

Optimization of bovine serum albumin sorption and recovery by hydrogels

Aqueous two-phase systems are composed of aqueous solutions of either two water-soluble polymers, usually polyethylene glycol (PEG) and dextran (Dx), or a polymer and a salt, usually PEG and phosphate or sulfate. Partitioning of proteins in such systems provides a powerful method for separating and purifying mixtures of biomolecules by extraction. If one of the phase forming polymers is a crosslinked gel, then the solution-controlled gel sorption may be considered as a modification of aqueous two-phase extraction. Since PEG/dextran systems are widely used in aqueous two-phase extraction and dextran gels (Sephadex) are common chromatographic media, we choose a PEG/dextran gel system as a model system in this study. The partitioning behavior of pure bovine serum albumin (BSA) in PEG/dextran gel systems is investigated to see the effects of variations in PEG and NaCl concentrations on the partition coefficient K. By making use of the Box-Wilson experimental design, K is shown to be maximized at 9.8 (%, w/w) PEG and 0.2 M NaCl concentrations, respectively, as 182.     

Resolution of 1,2-epoxyhexane by Rhodotorula glutinis using a two-phase membrane bioreactor

Large-scale resolution of epoxides by the yeast Rhodotorula glutinis was demonstrated in an aqueous/organic two-phase cascade membrane bioreactor. Due to the chemical instability and low solubility of epoxides in aqueous phases, an organic solvent was introduced into the reaction mixture in order to enhance the resolution of epoxide. A cascade hollow-fiber membrane bioreactor was used (1) to minimize the toxicity of organic solvents towards the epoxide hydrolase of R. glutinis, and (2) to remove inhibitory amounts of formed diol from the yeast cell containing aqueous phase. Dodecane was selected as a suitable solvent and 1,2-epoxyhexane as a model substrate. By use of this membrane bioreactor, highly concentrated (0.9 M in dodecane) enantiopure (> 98% ee) (S)-1,2-epoxyhexane (6.5 g, 30% yield) was obtained from the racemic mixture. Received: 28 June 1999 / Received revision: 26 August 1999 / Accepted: 3 September 1999     

Extractive lactic acid fermentation in poly (ethyleneimine)-based aqueous two-phase system

The potential of an aqueous two-phase system composed of a polycation, poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI), and an uncharged polymer, (hydroxyethyl) cellulose (HEC), for extractive lactic acid fermentation was tested. Batch fermentation with 20 g/L glucose in two-phase medium using Lactococcus lactis without external pH control resulted in 3-4 times higher amount of lactate and biomass produced as compared to that in a conventional one-phase medium. Lactic acid was preferentially partitioned to the PEI-rich bottom phase. However, the cells which favored the HEC-rich top phase in a fresh two-phase medium were partitioned to a significant extent to the bottom phase after fermentation. Addition of phosphate buffer or pH adjustment to 6.5 after fermentation caused fewer cells to move to the bottom phase. With external pH control, fermentation in normal and two-phase medium showed no marked differences in glucose consumption and lactic acid yield, except that about 1.3 times higher cell density was obtained in the two-phase broth, especially at initial glucose concentrations of 50-100 g/L. Use of higher concentration of phosphate during batch fermentation in the two-phase medium with 50 g/L sugar provided a 15% higher yield of lactic acid, but the growth rate of cells was nearly half of the normal, thus affecting the productivity. Continuous fermentation with twice the normal phosphate concentration resulted in higher cell density, product yield, and productivity in two-phase medium than in monophasic medium. (c) 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Succinoglycan production by solid-state fermentation with Agrobacterium tumefaciens

Succinoglycan was produced by cultivating Agrobacterium tumefaciens on various solid substrates, including agar medium, spent malt grains, ivory nut shavings, and grated carrots, impregnated with a nutrient solution. Fermentations were performed on a laboratory scale, both under static conditions and with agitation, using bottles and a prototype horizontal bioreactor. Several fermentation parameters were examined and optimized, including carbon and nitrogen composition, water content and layer thickness of the substrate. The yields and rheological properties of the polymers obtained under different fermentation conditions were compared. The highest succinoglycan yield was achieved in static cultivation, reaching 42 g/l of impregnating solution, corresponding to 30 g/kg of wet substrate. The polymer production in the horizontal bioreactor was faster, but the final yield was lower (29 g/l of impregnating solution). Received: 26 January 1999 / Received revision: 20 April 1999 / Accepted: 23 April 1999     

α-amylase production in aqueous two-phase systems with Bacillus subtilis

The production of α-amylase (1,4-α-d-glucan glucanohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.1) by Bacillus subtilis has been studied in repeated batch fermentations in aqueous two-phase systems. In a phase system composed of PEG 600, 8% (w/w), PEG 3350, 5% (w/w)/Dextran T 500, 2% (w/w), 82% of the enzyme partitioned to the top phase. The enzyme concentration in the top phase reached 0.85–1.35 U ml^?1 during the fermentations compared with 0.58 U ml^?1 in the reference fermentation. In the phase system composed of PEG 3350, 9% (w/w)/Dextran T 500, 2% (w/w), 73% of the enzyme partitioned to the top phase. However, the enzyme concentration in this phase system reached only 0.35 U ml^?1 in the top phase. The bacterial cells were microscopically observed to partition totally to the bottom phase in the aqueous two-phase system used. The results are discussed in relation to recirculation of cells by immobilizing to a solid matrix. Extraction of the product to the top phase and the effect of the phase polymers, especially PEG, on the production are also discussed.     

Whole cell microbial transformation in cloud point system

Cloud point system, consisting of nonionic surfactant in an aqueous solution, has been developed as a novel medium for whole cell microbial transformation. The basic properties of cloud point system including phase separation and solubilization are introduced. The application of cloud point system for extractive microbial transformation is different from that of water-organic solvent two-phase partitioning system or aqueous two-phase system are discussed, which mainly focus on the biocompatibility of microorganism in a cloud point system and a downstream process of microbial transformation in cloud point system with oil-water-surfactant microemulsion liquid-liquid extraction for surfactant recovery and product separation. Finally, examples of whole cell microbial transformation in cloud point systems, especially in situ extraction of moderate polar substrate/product, are also presented.     

In situ recovery of lycopene during biosynthesis with recombinant Escherichia coli

Lycopene is produced by recombinant Escherichia coli expressing genes to encode for the lycopene biosynthesis. However, the productivity of lycopene seemed to be limited by many factors including product toxicity. In the present study, we have investigated physiology of recombinant E. coli during biosynthesis and in situ recovery of lycopene based on an organic/aqueous two-phase system. Lycopene, the 40-carbon molecule product, was little extracted from recombinant E. coli cells to octane or decane phase. However, partial digestion of cell walls with lysozyme promoted extraction of lycopene into the organic phases. Engineering of an organic/aqueous two-phase system allowed recombinant E. coli cells to produce ca. 40% larger amount of lycopene compared to that in a conventional aqueous single-phase system. Optimization of the in situ product recovery process will lead to further increase of product concentration and productivity.     

IN SITU SEPARATION OF ETHANOL WITH AQUEOUS TWO-PHASE SYSTEM AND ASSESSMENT OF KLa FOR YEAST GROWTH IN BATCH CULTIVATION

In the fermentation process, the separation of product and its purification is the most difficult and exigent task in the ground of biochemical engineering. Another major problem that is encountered in the fermentation is product inhibition, which leads to low conversion and low productivities. Extractive fermentation is a technique that helps in the in situ removal of product and better performance of the fermentation. An aqueous two-phase system was employed for in situ ethanol separation since the technique was biofriendly to the Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the ethanol produced. The two-phase system was obtained with polyethylene glycol 4000 (PEG 4000) and ammonium sulfate in water above critical concentrations, with the desire that the ethanol moves to the top phase while cells rest at the bottom. The overall mass transfer coefficient (K_La) was also estimated for the yeast growth at different rpm. The concentration and yield of ethanol were determined for conventional fermentation to be around 81.3% and for extractive fermentation around 87.5% at the end of the fermentation. Based on observation of both processes, extractive fermentation was found to be the best.     

Aqueous polymer two-phase systems formed by new thermoseparating polymers

A set of new polymers that can be used as phase forming components in aqueous two-phase systems is presented. All polymers studied have thermoseparating properties i.e. form one separate polymer enriched phase and one aqueous solution when heated above the critical temperature. This property makes the polymers attractive alternatives to the polymers used in traditional aqueous two-phase systems such as poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and dextran. The thermal phase separation simplifies recycling of the polymers, thus making the aqueous two-phase systems more cost efficient and suitable for use in large scale. Thermoseparating polymers studied have been copolymers of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide (EO-PO), poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) (poly-NIPAM), poly vinyl caprolactam (poly-VCL) and copolymers of N-isopropylacrylamide and vinyl caprolactam with vinyl imidazole (poly(NIPAM-VI) and poly(VCL-VI), respectively). In addition, the copolymer poly(NIPAM-VI) has the property to be uncharged at pH above 7.0 and positively charged at lower pH. This allows the partitioning of protein to be directed by changing the pH in the system instead of the traditional addition of salt to direct the partitioning. Hydrophobically modified EO-PO copolymer (HM-(EO-PO)) with alkyl groups (C₁₄) at both ends forms two-phase system with for example poly(NIPAM-VI). The phase diagram for poly(NIPAM-VI)/HM-(EO-PO) was determined and the model proteins lysozyme and BSA were partitioned in this system. For BSA in poly(NIPAM-VI)/HM-(EO-PO) system a change in pH from 8.0 to 5.4 results in a change of partition coefficient from K=0.8 to K=5.1, i.e. BSA could be transferred from the HM-(EO-PO) phase to the poly(NIPAM-VI) phase. BSA partitioning in poly(NIPAM-VI)/HM-(EO-PO) system allows quantitative BSA recovery, and recoveries of poly(NIPAM-VI) and HM-(EO-PO) were 53% and 92%, respectively, after the thermoseparation step.     

Growth and Secondary Metabolite Production by Hairy Roots of Tagetes Patula in Aqueous Two-Phase Systems

Hairy roots of Tagetes patula have been grown in aqueous two-phase systems. After selecting suitable polymers from single-phase experiments (in which salt phases were unable to support growth in the desired concentrations) several two-phase systems were tested for their influence on cell growth and thiophene production. Cell growth occurred in all aqueous two-phase systems, but the highest growth rate was achieved in normal medium. There was no difference in thiophene production between medium and aqueous two-phase systems. The partition of thiophenes favoured slightly the more hydrophobic top phase in most cases, while the cells were confined to the bottom phase. One aqueous two-phase system (15% polyethyleneglycol 10,000 and 15% Reppal PES 200) was tested in a stirred tank reactor with normal medium as a control. The growth rate in medium was higher than in the aqueous two-phase system, while the thiophene production per unit cell weight was in the same range for both systems. The excretion of thiophenes in the reactor with the aqueous two-phase system was about ten times as high as in the control reactor. The amount excreted was however still not more than 3% of the total production.     

Preliminary application of light-pH sensitive recycling aqueous two-phase systems to purification of lipase

One key problem of aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) is that phase-forming polymers could not be recycled efficiently. This results in high cost and environmental pollution. In this study, we introduced novel aqueous two-phase systems which are composed by pH-sensitive polymer P_ADB and light-sensitive polymer P_NNC. P_NNC is enriched in the top phase while P_ADB is found in the bottom phase. And recoveries of two-phase-forming polymers can both reach over 96%. This aqueous two-phase system was used for purification of lipase from its crude material. The influences of various process parameters such as concentration of the phase-forming polymer, system pH, different types and concentrations of neutral salts on partitioning of lipase are evaluated. It has been found that partition coefficient of pure lipase could reach 0.061 under optimized conditions. Lipase from crude material was purified with 83.7% recovery and a purification factor of approximately 18 folds.     

Affinity-tagged green fluorescent protein (GFP) extraction from a clarified E. coli cell lysate using a two-phase aqueous micellar system

Green fluorescent protein (GFP) has been proposed as an ideal choice for a protein-based biological indicator for use in the validation of decontamination or disinfection treatments. In this article, we present a potentially scalable and cost-effective way to purify recombinant GFP, produced by fermentation in Escherichia coli, by affinity-enhanced extraction in a two-phase aqueous micellar system. Affinity-enhanced partitioning, which improves the specificity and yield of the target protein by specific bioaffinity interactions, has been demonstrated. A novel affinity tag, family 9 carbohydrate-binding module (CBM9) is fused to GFP, and the resulting fusion protein is affinity-extracted in a decyl beta-D-glucopyranoside (C10G1) two-phase aqueous micellar system. In this system, C10G1 acts as phase forming and as affinity surfactant. We will further demonstrate the implementation of this concept to attain partial recovery of affinity-tagged GFP from a clarified E. coli cell lysate, including the simultaneous removal of other contaminating proteins. The cell lysate was partitioned at three levels of dilution (5x, 10x, and 40x). Irrespective of the dilution level, CBM9-GFP was found to partition preferentially to the micelle-rich phase, with the same partition coefficient value as that found in the absence of the cell lysate. The host cell proteins from the cell lysate were found to partition preferentially to the micelle-poor phase, where they experience less excluded-volume interactions. The demonstration of proof-of-principle of the direct affinity-enhanced extraction of CBM9-GFP from the cell lysate represents an important first step towards developing a cost-effective separation method for GFP, and more generally, for other proteins of interest.     

Effect of temperature and pH on growth and product formation of Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis ATCC 19435 growing on maltose

Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis ATCC 19435 is known to produce mixed acids when grown on maltose. A change in fermentation conditions only, elevated temperatures (up to 37 °C) and reduced pH values (down to 5.0) resulted in a shift towards homolactic product formation. This was accompanied by decreased growth rate and cell yield. The results are discussed in terms of redox balance and maintenance, and the regulation of lactate dehydrogenase and pyruvate formate-lyase. Received: 14 December 1998 / Received revision: 12 January 1999 / Accepted: 22 January 1999     

Aqueous micellar two-phase system composed of hyamine-type hydrophobically modified ethylene oxide and application for cytochrome P450 BM-3 separation

The hydrophobically modified ethylene oxide polymer, HM-EO, was modified with an alkyl halide to prepare a hyamine-type HM-EO, named N-Me-HM-EO, which could be used for forming N-Me-HM-EO/buffer aqueous micellar two-phase system. The critical micelle concentration of N-Me-HM-EO solution and the phase diagrams of N-Me-HM-EO/buffer systems were determined. By using this novel aqueous micellar two-phase system, the separation of cytochrome P450 BM-3 from cell extract was explored. The partitioning behavior of P450 BM-3 in N-Me-HM-EO/buffer systems was measured. The influences of some factors such as total proteins concentration, pH, temperature and salt concentration, on the partitioning coefficients of P450 BM-3 were investigated. Since the micellar aggregates in the N-Me-HM-EO enriched phase were positively charged, it was possible to conduct the proteins with different charges to top or bottom phases by adjusting pH and salt concentration in the system. A separation scheme consisting of two consecutive aqueous two-phase extraction steps was proposed: the first extraction with N-Me-HM-EO/buffer system at pH 8.0, and the second extraction in the same system at pH 6.0. The recovery of P450 BM-3 was 73.3% with the purification factor of 2.5. The results indicated that the aqueous micellar two-phase system composed of hyamine modified polysoap has a promising application for selective separation of biomolecules depending on the enhanced electrostatic interactions between micelles and proteins.     

Two-phase partitioning bioreactors in fermentation technology

The two-phase partitioning bioreactor concept appears to have a great potential in enhancing the productivity of many bioprocesses. The proper selection of an organic solvent is the key to successful application of this approach in industrial practice. The integration of fermentation and a primary product separation step has a positive impact on the productivity of many fermentation processes. The controlled substrate delivery from the organic to the aqueous phase opens a new area of application of this strategy to biodegradation of xenobiotics. In this review, the most recent advances in the application of two-liquid phase partitioning bioreactors for product or substrate partitioning are discussed. Modeling and performance optimization studies related to those bioreactor systems are also reviewed.     

Technical aspects of separation using aqueous two-phase systems in enzyme isolation processes.

Technical aspects of the separation of aqueous two-phase systems in a commercial separator were studied in detail. For the Gyrotester B, the smallest available separator, a flow rate of 200 ml/min and a length of the regulating screw in the outlet port of 13.5 mm were found as optimal operation parameters for the separation of a poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)/dextran two-phase system. In the presence of cells and cell debris the characteristics of the carrier two-phase systems are changed, most notably the phase ratio. Nevertheless good separation and high throughput can be maintained up to 30% wet cell material in the complete system. Using this method the enzyme pullulanase was extracted from 6.65 kg Klebsiella pneumoniae in 88% yield in a single step in less than 2 hr. A yield of 90% was predicted for this step based upon laboratory data, indicating that the performance of the extraction and separation can be calculated with the necessary accuracy and the further scale-up of the process should be accomplished quite easily. The hydrophilic polymers Constituting the phase system will often stabilize the enzymes, So that the separation can be carried out at room temperature without extensive cooling. The method of enzyme solubilization or cell disruption is not decisive for the successful extraction of the enzymes, the only limitation being the necessity to find a suitable two-phase system where the desired product and the cells or cell debris will partition in opposite phases. This is shown for α-glucosidase from Saccharomyces carlsbergensis and three aminoacyl-tRNA-synthetases from Escherichia coli. The results obtained demonstrate that aqueous two-phase systems can be separated in commercially available separators with high capacity and efficiency. It can be expected that the advanced separation technology available from chemical engineering studies can also be used for the development of large-scale isolation processes for enzymes involving liquid–liquid partitions.     

Fractionation of cellulase and beta-glucosidase in a Trichoderma reesei culture liquid by use of two-phase partitioning

An aqueous two-phase system based on the two polymers poly(ethylene glycol) and dextran has been used for the fractionation of cellulase enzymes present in culture liquid obtained by fermentation with Trichoderma reesei. The activities of beta-glucosidase and glucanases were separated to high degree by using the two-phase systems for a counter-current distribution process in nine transfer steps. While the glucanases had high affinity to the poly(ethylene glycol) rich top phase the beta-glucosidase was enriched in the dextran-containing bottom phase. Multiple counter-current distribution performed indicates the heterogeneity of beta-glucosidase activities assuming at least four isoenzyme forms. One step concentration of beta-glucosidase by using system with 46:1 phase volume ratio resulted in 16 times higher enzyme activity.