Continuous production of pectinase by immobilized yeast cells on spent grains

A yeast strain secreting endopolygalacturonase was used in this work to study the possibility of continuous production of this enzyme. It is a feasible and interesting alternative to fungal batch production essentially due to the specificity of the type of pectinase excreted by Kluyveromyces marxianus CCT 3172, to the lower broth viscosity and to the easier downstream operations. In order to increase the reactors' productivity, a cellulosic carrier obtained from barley spent grains was tested as an immobilization support. Two types of reactors were studied for pectinase production using glucose as a carbon and energy source - a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) and a packed bed reactor (PBR) with recycled flow. The highest value for pectinase volumetric productivity (P(v) = 0.98 U ml(-1) h(-1)) was achieved in the PBR for D = 0.40 h(-1), a glucose concentration on the inlet of S(in) = 20 g l(-1), and a biomass load in the support of X(i) = 0.225 g g(-1). The results demonstrate the attractiveness of the packed bed system for pectinase production.