Compactin production studies using Penicillium brevicompactum under solid-state fermentation conditions

Abstract

In the present study, compactin production by Penicillium brevicompactum WA 2315 was optimized using solid-state fermentation. The initial one factor at a time approach resulted in improved compactin production of 905 μg gds-1 compared to initial 450 μg gds-1. Subsequently, nutritional, physiological and biological parameters were screened using fractional factorial and Box-Behnken design. The fractional factorial design studied inoculum age, inoculum volume, pH, NaCl, NH4NO3, MgSO4, KH2PO4 and all parameters were found to be significant except pH. The Box Behnken design studied Inoculum volume, inoculum age, glycerol and NH4NO3 at three different levels. Inoculum volume (p=0.0013) and glycerol (p=0.0001) were significant factors with greater effect on response. The interaction effects were not significant. The validation study using model defined conditions resulted in an improved yield of 1250 μg gds-1 compactin. Further improvement in yield was obtained using fed batch mode of carbon supplementation. The feeding of glycerol (20% v/v) on day 3 resulted in further improved compactin yield of 1406 μg gds-1. The present study demonstrates that agro-industrial residues can be successfully used for compactin production and statistical experiment designs provide an easy tool to improve the process conditions for secondary metabolite production.