High-Yield Production of Alpha-Galactosidase Excreted from Penicillium Chrysogenum and Aspergillus Niger

ABSTRACT

α-Galactosidase production by the fungal strains Penicillium chrysogenum LN₃₃ and Aspergillus niger M₄₇ cultivated in shaking and stationary conditions using soya meal extract as nutrient medium was investigated. Submerged shake flask fermentation was preferred over stationary cultivation for P. chrysogenum LN₃₃ as it gave a high α-galactosidase yield (4200U/l). Because of pellet formation the semicontinuous shake-flask fermentation was carried out for P. chrysogenum LN₃₃ α-galactosidase production during 32 days. The maximum α-galactosidase activity by A. niger M₄₇ (7000U/l) was obtained in stationary conditions of cultivation which is 27–28% greater as compared with the enzyme titer in shaking cultures. Air-lift laboratory bioreactor cultivation of both P. chrysogenum LN₃₃ and A. niger M₄₇ resulted in high-yield production of α-galactosidase (8700U/l and 11200U/l, respectively), which is of particular interest for biotechnological application in food processing.

Keywords:

• alpha-galactosidase
• fungi
• soy meal extract