REPEATED-BATCH AND CONTINUOUS PRODUCTION OF CHITINOLYTIC ENZYMES BY PENICILLIUM-JANTHINELLUM IMMOBILIZED ON CHEMICALLY-MODIFIED MACROPOROUSCELLULOSE

Conidiospores of the fungus Penicillium janthinellum P9 were immobilis ed on polyurethane sponge and chemically-modified macroporous cellulos e and cultivated for the production of chitinolytic enzymes in shaken culture, repeated-batch processes. The highest enzyme production (342 U l(-1))was obtained using the macroporous cellulose BR-L01T(70) (Biom aterial Co. Ltd., Japan); with this carrier cell leakage was negligibl e. The immobilised mycelium of P. janthinellum P9 was then used for re peated-batch and continuous production of chitinolytic enzymes and N-a cetyl-beta-D-glucosamine in a fluidised-bed reactor (1.01 working volu me). While the repeated-batch cultivation resulted in almost the same enzyme activity (338 U l(-1)) obtained in shaken culture, with the con tinuous operation a steady enzyme production of about 450 U l(-1) was reached and maintained for 168 h at a feed rate of 0.036 1 h(-1). At t his feed rate, enzyme volumetric productivity and total N-acetyl-beta- D-glucosamine production were 14.76 U l(-1) h(-1) and 15.9 g, respecti vely. Carrier colonisation and hyphal growth were followed by observat ions under the scanning electron microscope. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.