ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Influence of trace elements supplementation on the production of recombinant frutalin by Pichia pastoris KM71H in fed-batch process

Marcela S. O. Wanderley, Carla Oliveira, Danyelly Bruneska, Lucília Domingues, José L. Lima Filho, José A. Teixeira, and Solange I. Mussatto

Molecular Prospection and Bioinformatics Group (ProspecMol), Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, 50670-901, Recife, Brazil

E-mail: solange@deb.uminho.pt

Abstract: Frutalin, a galactose-specific lectin used to detect specific tumour markers, is a protein with low expression level in breadfruit. In the present study, fed-batch fermentation in a stirred tank bioreactor was used as a strategy to enhance protein production by a recombinant Pichia pastoris KM71H. By using this process, the production of recombinant frutalin was 4-fold higher than the value obtained in shaker flasks batch assays. Supplementation of the fermentation medium with trace elements (Pichia trace minerals, PTM) was also evaluated in order to stimulate production of the recombinant protein. The addition of PTM to the minimum medium afforded a recombinant protein production of 13.4 mg L⁻¹, which was 2.5-fold higher than that achieved from the culture medium without PTM supplementation. These results are significant as the development of strategies to improve the production of recombinant frutalin may broaden its application in cancer diagnosis.

Keywords: Pichia pastoris – fed-batch process – frutalin – lectin – trace elements

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.2478/s11696-013-0363-3

Chemical Papers 67 (7) 682–687 (2013)