A macrokinetic model-based comparative meta-analysis of recombinant protein production by Pichia pastoris under AOX1 promoter.

An unstructured macrokinetic model for heterologous production of Rhizopus oryzae lipase (ROL) by a Pichia pastoris PAOX1 based system was developed. Mean specific rates and state variables for various fed-batch cultures, under methanol limited and non-limited conditions were used for modeling. The most representative kinetic functions (viz., Monod, Haldane, Pirt and Luedeking-Piret) were used for the specific rates of cell growth (µ), substrate consumption (qS ) and product formation (qP ). The performance of two different process models was assessed via simulation tests, using an overall validation procedure. The best model describes the cellular growth by a non-monotonic substrate function, substrate uptake via Pirt's equation and product formation through a Luedeking-Piret equation. A comparative meta-analysis of heterologous protein production of various target proteins by Pichia pastoris under AOX1 promoter was conducted and a general strategy for improving protein production from process kinetics was developed as a key to bioprocess optimization.