Medium optimization and kinetic modeling for the production of Aspergillus niger inulinase

The goals of this study were to optimize the medium formulation for enhanced production of Aspergillus niger inulinase using Plackett-Burman Design (PBD) and to model the fermentation in optimal medium formulation. Results indicated that (NH₄)₂SO₄ (negative effect), yeast extract and peptone (positive effect) were determined as significant factors affecting the inulinase production. Different media including Medium A (non-enriched), Medium B (contains both negative and positive factors) and Medium C (contains only positive factors) were formed and inulinase fermentations were performed. Findings showed that the best nutritional formulation was Medium C, which yielded to be 1011.02 U/mL, 834.28 U/mL, 1.22, 4383.44 U/mg, 4186 U/mg, 158.49 U/mL/day, 128.60 U/mL/day and 94.54% of P_Inulinase, S_Inulinase, I/S ratio, S_Inulinase, S_Sucrase, Q_Inulinase, Q_Sucrase and SUY, respectively. Additionally, fungal growth, enzyme or protein production and substrate consumption were modeled using the logistic model, Luedeking-Piret model, and modified Luedeking-Piret model, respectively, and found that enzyme or protein production was non-growth associated. Besides, maintenance value (Z) was lower than γ value, indicating that A. niger mainly utilizes the sugars for enzyme production and fungal growth. Consequently, optimum medium composition was successfully determined by PBD and also the kinetic models fitted the experimental data very well with high regression coefficient.