ENHANCED PRODUCTION OF PEROXIDASE IN CONTINUOUS-CULTURE OF ARTHROMYCES-RAMOSUS BY SELECTIVE BLEEDING OF MYCELIUM

A new method of continuous culture with selective bleeding of mycelia using 9-mesh screen was developed to improve the production rate of pe roxidase (POD) by Arthromyces ramosus. At the dilution rate of 0.05 h( -1) with the mycelium leakage rate of 60%, a high production rate (ave rage value was 1.67 U . ml(-1). h(-1)) was maintained for over 100 h: the rate was 3.2 times that in a glucose-fed batch culture. At the sam e dilution rate, the volumetric and specific production rates of POD i n the continuous culture without the screen were lower than those in t he first continuous culture and decreased gradually in the later phase of the culture. In the continuous culture with low mycelium leakage r ate of 1.6%, the POD production rate was not improved further, althoug h the mycelial concentration (43 g . l(-1)) increased 2.9 times. It is suggested that the high agitation rate required to meet the oxygen de mand is unfavorable for the POD production.