Abstract:
Citrate synthase and ß-ketothiolase activities responsible in cell growth and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) or P(3HB) synthesis of B. megaterium strain BA-019 were studied under various dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration conditions (20%, 40%, 60% and 80% saturation). Under the DO levels studied, the activity of citrate synthase was increased between 12 and 18 h during fermentation cultivation. The maximum activity of 0.6007 unit per mg protein was obtained at 12 h when the DO level was maintained at 60%. This resulted in the maximum cell biomass production (24.39 g/L) later at 15 h. On the other hand, the maximum activity of b-ketothiolase was observed at 3 h cultivation in all DO levels studied. Among 4 DO levels studied, the DO level of 60% also provided the highest b-ketothiolase activity (0.0408 unit per mg protein). This eventually led to the maximum P(3HB) concentration of 6.98 g/L achieved at 18 h cultivation. From the knowledge of enzyme expression, cell growth, and product formation kinetics, later in this study, citric acid was used to regulate the metabolic flux toward P(3HB) production. Citric acid at different concentrations (1-5 g/L) was initially added into the fermentation medium. It was found that the activity of citrate synthase was dramatically increased to 2.3239 unit per mg protein (almost 6 times higher) with the corresponding maximum biomass of 29.93 g/L at 12 h cultivation when 2 g/L citric acid was added into the medium. The maximum activity of b-ketothiolase was also increased to 1.1584 unit per mg protein at 3 h (almost 3 times higher) when the improved P(3HB) production of 8.71 g/L within 12 h cultivation.