Optimization of Amylase and Protease Production from Aspergillus awamori in Single Bioreactor Through EVOP Factorial Design Technique

Sangeeta Negi and Rintu Banerjee*

Agriculture and Food Engineering Department, Microbial Biotechnology and Downstream Processing Laboratory, IIT Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India

Article history:
Received November 16, 2005
Accepted March 14, 2006

Key words:
amylase, protease, SSF, Aspergillus awamori, EVOP, production

Summary:
Evolutionary operation (EVOP) factorial design technique was explored in order to economically produce amylase and protease at their optimum level in a single bioreactor by modified solid-state fermentation. Maximum yields of amylase and protease were achieved, using wheat bran as a substrate by a highly potent, locally isolated strain of Aspergillus awamori: Nakazawa MTCC 6652. The strain had been induced previously, inferring the ability to produce both enzymes concomitantly in a single bioreactor with their maximum capacity. The highest secretion of amylase and protease were measured to be 9420.6 and 1930 U/g, respectively, at 37 °C. pH and relative humidity were found to be optimum at 4 and 85 %, evaluated through EVOP method.

*Corresponding author:           rb@iitkgp.ac.in, rin_tuni@yahoo.com
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