Enhanced Glucosamine Production with Actinomucor elegans Based on Stimulating Factor of Methanol

Glucosamine (GlcN) is a major and valuable component in the cell wall of fungi. In this study, the cell wall was treated via a two-stage alkali and acid process, and chitin and chitosan were fully deacetylated, partially depolymerized, and converted to GlcN oligosaccharides. Then, the oligosaccharides were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography. The influences of Actinomucor elegans on GlcN production in a flask culture were investigated to achieve an optimum yield of GlcN. The experimental result showed that cultivation in condition of pH 6.0, 100 mL working volume (500 mL flask), 10 % (v/v) inoculum concentration, at 28 °C and 200 rpm for 6 days yielded highest dry cell weight (DCW) which was 23.43 g L(-1), with a GlcN concentration of 5.12 g L(-1). Methanol as stimulating factor was found to exert the best effect in concentration of 1.5 % (v/v). With addition of methanol into medium, the DCW increased from 23.69 to 32.42 g L(-1), leading to maximum GlcN concentration of 6.85 g L(-1) obtained. Here, the methanol addition may be useful for industrial production of GlcN, and may also be meaningful for the production of other fine chemicals by filamentous fungi.