Statistical Optimization of Medium and Fermentation Conditions of Recombinant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pichia pastoris</Emphasis> for the Production of Xylanase

Recombinant xylanase (rPcXynC) from Pichia pastoris was produced on large-scale by optimizing production-medium composition using statistical experimental methods. Production medium was optimized through the use of statistical methods such as one factor at a time (OFAT), Plackett-Burman design, fractional factorial design (FFD), steepest ascent method (SAM), and response surface methodology (RSM). The optimum medium composition was established to be (g/L); wheat bran 11.62, yeast extract 30, Tween 60.5, DL-β-Phenylalanine 0.5, Thiamine 0.5, FeSO₄ 0.01, KH₂PO₄ 0.66, and KHSO₄ 0.09. The optimum medium composition yielded 3,051 mU/mL of xylanase activity which was three times higher than that obtained from the initial medium composition. Finally, fermentation conditions were examined using the optimized production medium in a laboratory bioreactor. The optimal fermentation conditions were found to be 25ºC, pH 6, 170 rpm and 1 vvm with intermittent feeding of methanol (67.5 mL) and the xylanase activity was 3,683 mU/mL. In repeated-batch fermentation using optimized production medium and fermentation condition, the xylanase activity was 3,680 mU/mL at the first cycle of 96 h harvesting time using 90% of the culture solution. The activity was similarly maintained until the last cycle of 264 h.