Effect of nitrogen source on pullulan production by Aureobasidium pullulans grown in a batch bioreactor

Pullulan production by Aureobasidium pullulans ATCC 201253 using selected nitrogen sources was studied in a medium using corn syrup as a carbon source. Independent of the corn syrup concentration present, the use of corn steep liquor or hydrolysed soy protein as a nitrogen source instead of ammonium sulphate did not elevate polysaccharide production by ATCC 201253 cells grown in an aerated, batch bioreactor containing 4 litres of medium. Pullulan production on corn steep liquor or hydrolysed soy protein as a nitrogen source became more comparable as the concentration of corn syrup was increased. Cell weights after 7 days of growth on any of the nitrogen sources were similar. The viscosity of the polysaccharide on day 7 was highest for cells grown on ammonium sulphate and 12.5% corn syrup. The pullulan content of the polysaccharide elaborated by ammonium sulphate-grown cells on day 7 decreased as the corn syrup level rose in the medium while the pullulan content of polysaccharide produced by cells grown on corn steep liquor or soytone generally increased.