Growth of the extremophilic Deinococcus geothermalis DSM 11302 using co-substrate fed-batch culture

Abstract

Deinococcus geothermalis metabolism has been scarcely studied to date, although new developments on its utilization for bioremediation have been carried out. So, large-scale production of this strain and a better understanding of its physiology are required. A fed-batch experiment was conducted to achieve a high cell density non-limiting culture of D. geothermalis DSM 11302. A co-substrate nutritional strategy using glucose and yeast extract was carried out in a 20-L bioreactor in order to maintain a non-limited growth at a maximal growth rate of 1 h⁻¹ at 45 °C. Substrate supplies were adjusted by monitoring online culture parameters and physiological data (dissolved oxygen, gas analyses, respiratory quotient, biomass concentration). The results showed that yeast extract could serve as both carbon and nitrogen sources, although glucose and ammonia were consumed too. Yeast extract carbon-specific uptake rate reached a value 4.5 times higher than glucose carbon-specific uptake rate. Cell concentration of 9.6 g L⁻¹ dry cell weight corresponding to 99 g of biomass was obtained using glucose and yeast extract as carbon and nitrogen sources.