Mass Production of Pullulan with Optimized Concentrations of Carbon and Nitrogen Sources by Aureobasidium pullulans HP-2001 in a 100-L Bioreactor with the Inner Pressure

Cell growth and the production of pullulan by Aureobasidium pullulan HP-2001, the UV-induced mutant of A pullulans ATCC 42023, increased with increased concentration of glucose up to 15.0% (w/v). Maximal production of pullulan in the flask scale was 27.65 g/l, when concentrations of glucose and yeast extract were 15.0 and 0.25% (w/v), respectively. Maximal conversion rate of pullulan from glucose as the carbon source was 0.37, when those of glucose and yeast extract were 5.0 and 0.15% (w/v), respectively. On the basis of total amount of pullulan, the conversion rate of pullulan from glucose, and utilization rate of glucose to cell mass and pullulan by A. pullulans HP-2001, the optimal concentrations of glucose and yeast extract for the mass production of pullulan were determined to be 10.0 and 0.25% (w/v), respectively, at which concentrations the production of pullulan and its conversion rate were 27.14 g/l and 0.27, respectively. Maximal production of pullulan with optimized concentrations of carbon and nitrogen sources by A. pullulans HP-200l in a 7-1 bioreactor was 32.12 g/l for 72 h culture, and that in a 100-1 bioreactor with the inner pressure of $0.4 kgf/cm^2$ was 36.87 g/l. Increased inner pressure of a 100-1 bioreactor resulted in a higher concentration of dissolved oxygen in the medium, which might enhance the production of pullulan by A. pullulans HP-2001.