Abstract
In a study of the control of metabolite formation, prodigiosin production by Serratia marcescens was used as a model. Specific production rates of prodigiosin formation were determined using batch culture technique. Sucrose as carbon source and NH4NO3 as nitrogen source resulted in a specific production rate of 0.476 mg prodigiosin (g cell dry weight)-1 h-1. Prodigiosin formation and productivity was inversely correlated to growth rate when the bacterium was grown under carbon limitation on a defined medium in a chemostat culture. The maximum specific growth rate (μmax) was 0.54 h-1 and prodigiosin was formed in amounts over 1 mg l-1 up to a growth rate (μ) of 0.3 h-1 at steady state conditions. At a dilution rate of 0.1 h-1 growth at steady state with carbon and phosphate limitation supported prodigiosin formation giving a similar specific yield [1.17 mg prodigiosin (g cell dry weight)-1 and 0.94 mg g-1, respectively], however, cells grown with nitrogen limitation [(NH4)2SO4] did not form prodigiosin. Productivity in batch culture was 1.33 mg l-1 h-1 as compared to 0.57 mg l-1 h-1 in the chemostat.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 153-155 |
Number of pages | 3 |
Journal | Enzyme and Microbial Technology |
Volume | 9 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Mar 1987 |
Keywords
- continuous reactor
- metabolite release
- nutrient limitation
- Serratia marcescens