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Changes in the Production of Succinic Acid and Esterifying Enzymes during the Growth of Monascus purpureus

CAI Ying-hui, PAN Pei-ping, HUANG Xiao, SU Bin-nan, WANG Mu-hua   

  1. 1. Biology Institute of Shanxi, Taiyuan 030006, China; 2. Shanxi Academy of Analytical Science, Taiyuan 030006, China
  • Online:2014-07-15 Published:2014-07-18

Abstract:

The amount of succinic acid and esterifying enzyme activities produced during the growth of Monascus purpureus
were measured by chromatographic analysis and enzyme activity assay to monitor the dynamic changes in the production
of succinic acid and esterifying enzymes. The culture conditions were optimized for enhanced production of succinic acid
and esterifying enzymes by this strain. The results showed that the production of succinic acid reached a peak of 3.62 g/L on
the fifth day, and decreased obviously after the sixth day; while esterifying enzyme activities continued to accumulate until
reaching 143.65 U/mL on the ninth day. All inoculum size, pH, temperature, shaking speed and fungal morphology could
affect the production of succinic acid and esterifying enzymes. Granular fungi produced more succinic acid and esterifying
enzymes. Considering both parameters, the fermentation should be terminated on the sixth day under the optimized culture
conditions of 10%, 6.5, 30 ℃ and 180 r/min for inoculum size, initial pH, temperature and shaking speed, respectively.

Key words: Monascus purpureus, succinic acid, esterifying enzyme, dynamic changes, production