Modeling of lutein production by heterotrophic Chlorella in batch and fed-batch cultures

摘要

Chlorella is a promising alternative resource of lutein (xanthophyll) production as it can be cultivated heterotrophically in fermentors. In this paper, a kinetic model for lutein production by heterotrophic Chlorella pyrenoidosa was developed based on batch cultivations in 250-ml flasks and a 19-l fermentor. The model was validated by experimental data from two fed-batch cultivations performed in the same fermentor. The dynamic behavior of lutein production by C. pyrenoidosa with various concentrations of glucose and nitrogen was analyzed based on the kinetic model. Model-based analyses suggested that glucose concentrations between 5 and 24 g/l and nitrogen concentrations between 0.7 and 12 g/l during the cultivation were favorable for lutein production by heterotrophic C. pyrenoidosa. It also showed that fed-batch cultivations are more suitable for efficient production of lutein than batch ones. The results obtained in this study may contribute to commercial lutein production by heterotrophic Chlorella.