Effect of process parameters and microparticle addition on polygalacturonase activity and fungal morphology of Aspergillus sojae

Abstract

In this study, the effects of process parameters (initial glucose concentrations, inoculation rates, and nitrogen sources including yeast extract, beef extract, and ammonium nitrate instead of peptone) on polygalacturonase production by Aspergillus sojae in the shaking incubator were examined. Subsequently, the effect of talcum microparticles on activity and morphology was investigated. Based on the results, the highest activity and lowest pellet diameter were 41.91 U/mL and 1411.9 µm when initial glucose concentration and inoculation size were 20 g/L and 12% (v/v), respectively. Besides, as inoculation rate increased, maximum specific growth rate and saturation constant decreased from 0.39 to 0.27 day−1 and 21.26 to 3.50 g/L, respectively. It was determined that highest activity and lowest pellet diameter were found as 18.53 U/mL and 2953.0 µm when medium was supplemented with 2.5 g/L yeast extract. It was also found that as yeast extract and beef extract concentrations increased, pellet diameter decreased. Additionally, medium was supplemented with talcum as a microparticle (0–25 g/L), and maximum activity was 26.59 U/mL (pellet diameter was 2756.3 µm) when talcum concentration was 5 g/L. In addition, as talcum concentration increases from 0.1 to 5 g/L, the biomass concentration increased relatively, but the enzyme activity increased significantly. However, although talcum concentration in the medium is increased until 20 g/L, while the biomass concentration increased, the activity decreased. Compared to control fermentation (without talcum), the activity increased ninefold. Polygalacturonase was also partially purified via ultrafiltration with the purification fold of 1.84. Consequently, fungal morphology in submerged fermentation can be controlled by microparticle addition fermentation, and thus the enzyme activity can be increased.