Sw. Kim et al., ENHANCED SYNTHESIS OF TRISPORIC ACID AND BETA-CAROTENE PRODUCTION IN BLAKESLEA-TRISPORA BY ADDITION OF A NONIONIC SURFACTANT, SPAN-20, Journal of fermentation and bioengineering, 84(4), 1997, pp. 330-332
When a non-ionic surfactant, Span 20, was added to a mated culture of
Blakeslea trispora, beta-carotene production increased 15 fold compare
d to that without the surfactant, reaching 2.3 g/l. The marked increas
e of beta-carotene was closely related to the titer of trisporic acid,
a strong stimulator of beta-carotene synthesis. With Span 20, the mic
roorganism produced 15 times more trisporic acid (8.8 mg/g dry cell we
ight) than without the surfactant (0.6 mg/g dry cell weight). Therefor
e, it was concluded that Span 20 considerably enhanced the production
of trisporic acid, which subsequently stimulated beta-carotene synthes
is.