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Optimization of fed-batch Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation using dynamic flux balance models
Jared L Hjersted1, Michael A Henson
1Department of Chemical Engineering, University Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003-3110, USA.
Biotechnology Progress
|October 7, 2006
Summary
We created a dynamic model for yeast fermentation to optimize ethanol production. This model helps find the best operating conditions for maximizing ethanol productivity and yield.
Area of Science:
- Biochemical Engineering
- Systems Biology
- Metabolic Engineering
Background:
- Fed-batch fermentation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is crucial for bioethanol production.
- Optimizing fermentation processes requires understanding complex metabolic dynamics and operational parameters.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and apply a dynamic flux balance model for optimizing fed-batch Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation.
- To determine operating policies that maximize ethanol productivity and/or yield.
Main Methods:
- Coupled a steady-state model of carbon metabolism with dynamic mass balances.
- Employed dynamic optimization to identify optimal fed-batch strategies.
- Varied initial conditions, feed rates, oxygen levels, and batch times as decision variables.
Main Results:
- Identified optimal operating policies balancing ethanol productivity and yield.
- Highlighted the significance of a microaerobic region in fermentation.
- Demonstrated sensitivity of results to model parameters like maintenance and P/O ratio.
Conclusions:
- Dynamic flux balance models are valuable tools for optimizing biochemical reactor productivity.
- Further development and application of these models can enhance bioethanol production efficiency.
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