Process optimization for an industrial-scale production of Diphtheria toxin by Corynebacterium diphtheriae PW8

In this study, several parameters affecting the toxin production of Corynebacterium diphtheriae Parke Williams 8 (PW8) were investigated in detail. The comparison studies of amino acid profile in NZ Amine A-based medium (NZ medium) and beef digest-based medium (BD medium) suggested that an insufficient supply of amino acids was not responsible for low toxin yield observed in NZ medium. Supplementation of additional amino acids and growth promoting nutrient (in a form of yeast extract) into NZ medium enhanced only cell growth but not toxin production. Thus, BD medium was selected as the most suitable base medium for toxin production as it gave a significantly higher limit of flocculation (93 ± 0 Lf/ml) than NZ medium (46 ± 0 Lf/ml). Interestingly, a supplementation of 0.2% YE into BD medium resulted in a significant increase in growth as well as toxin production (235 ± 5 Lf/ml). In conclusion, consistently high toxin titer (174-239 Lf/ml) could be obtained from BD medium at a 5 L-scale production as long as 1) the protein content of BD medium was at least 24 g/L, 2) the iron content was below 0.15 ppm and 3) 0.2% YE was supplemented into the medium.