Immobilized cells of recombinant Escherichia coli strain for continuous production of L-aspartic acid.

For L-aspartic acid biosynthesis, high production cells of Escherichia coli mutant B-715 and P1 were immobilized in chitosan gel using a technique developed in our laboratory. The immobilization process reduced initial activity of the intact cells, however, the biocatalyst produced was very stabile for long-term use in multi-repeated batch or continuous processes. Temperature influence on the conversion of ammonium fumarate to L-aspartic acid was investigated. In long-term experiments, over 603 hours, the temperature 40 degrees C was found to be the best for both biocatalyst stability and high conversion rate. The optimum substrate concentration was 1.0 M. Continuous production of L-aspartic acid was investigated in three types of column bioreactors characterized by different volumes as well as different high to biocatalyst bed volume rations (Hz/Vz). The highest conversion rate, 99.8%, and the productivity 6 g/g/h (mass of L-aspartic acid per dry mass of cells in biocatalyst per time unit) was achieved in the bioreactor with the highest value Hz/Vz = 3.1, and liquid hour space velocity value of 5.2, defined as the volume of feeding substrate passed per volume of catalyst in bioreactor per one hour.