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Optimization of growth media components for polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production from organic acids by Ralstonia eutropha

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Abstract

We employed systematic mixture analysis to determine optimal levels of acetate, propionate, and butyrate for cell growth and polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production by Ralstonia eutropha H16. Butyrate was the preferred acid for robust cell growth and high PHA production. The 3-hydroxyvalerate content in the resulting PHA depended on the proportion of propionate initially present in the growth medium. The proportion of acetate dramatically affected the final pH of the growth medium. A model was constructed using our data that predicts the effects of these acids, individually and in combination, on cell dry weight (CDW), PHA content (%CDW), PHA production, 3HV in the polymer, and final culture pH. Cell growth and PHA production improved approximately 1.5-fold over initial conditions when the proportion of butyrate was increased. Optimization of the phosphate buffer content in medium containing higher amounts of butyrate improved cell growth and PHA production more than 4-fold. The validated organic acid mixture analysis model can be used to optimize R. eutropha culture conditions, in order to meet targets for PHA production and/or polymer HV content. By modifying the growth medium made from treated industrial waste, such as palm oil mill effluent, more PHA can be produced.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Mr. John Quimby and Ms. Karen Pepper for their contributions to this manuscript. This work was supported by a grant from the government of Malaysia and the Malaysian Office of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI). The result of this grant, the Malaysia-MIT Biotechnology Partnership Program (MMBPP), is a collaboration between MIT, SIRIM Berhad, Universiti Putra Malaysia, and Universiti Sains Malaysia. The authors would like to thank the members of this program for their collegial collaborations.

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Author notes

  1. Yung-Hun Yang

    Present address: Department of Microbial Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA

    Yung-Hun Yang, Christopher J. Brigham, Paolo Boccazzi, Laura B. Willis & Anthony J. Sinskey

  2. Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA

    Charles F. Budde

  3. Biomaterials Science and Engineering Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA

    Laura B. Willis & ChoKyun Rha

  4. Department of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

    Mohd Ali Hassan

  5. Research & Technology Division, SIRIM Berhad, P.O. Box 7035, 40911, Shah Alam, Malaysia

    Zainal Abidin Mohd Yusof

  6. Division of Health Sciences Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA

    Anthony J. Sinskey

  7. Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA

    Anthony J. Sinskey

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Yang, YH., Brigham, C.J., Budde, C.F. et al. Optimization of growth media components for polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production from organic acids by Ralstonia eutropha . Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 87, 2037–2045 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-010-2699-8

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