Improved mixing properties of stirred fermentation of an Aspergillus
oryzae hyphal dispersion mutant
Abstract
In filamentous fungal fermentation, selecting suitable impellers and
controlling fungal morphology are crucial for product yield. We
previously demonstrated that the AGΔ-GAGΔ strain of Aspergillus
oryzae, lacking both α-1,3-glucan (AG) and galactosaminogalactan (GAG),
had improved hyphal dispersion, reduced culture viscosity, and increased
recombinant protein production. Here, we applied computational fluid
dynamics (CFD) using viscosity data to explore the importance of
impeller design and strain engineering. High-performance impellers
(HS100/HR100) were compared with the conventional flat-blade turbine and
paddle (6FT/4FP). CFD analysis showed large gas cavities behind the
blades and severe compartmentalization for both the wild-type and
AGΔ-GAGΔ strains. HS100/HR100 had more homogeneous velocity and shear
stress values than did 6FT/4FP. The AGΔ-GAGΔ strain had a wider shear
stress distribution and reduced gas cavity in comparison with the
wild-type strain. The simulation results agreed with measured volumetric
oxygen mass transfer coefficients ( KLa) and
mixing times. Transcriptional analysis during HS100/HR100 cultivation
revealed upregulation of the TCA cycle genes in AGΔ-GAGΔ in comparison
with the wild type. Our findings suggest that the combination of an
optimized stirring system and the AGΔ-GAGΔ strain can significantly
enhance mixing. Furthermore, the improved mixing properties of AGΔ-GAGΔ
may contribute to higher recombinant protein yields through an increased
population of metabolically active cells.