Rocking Aspergillus: morphology-controlled cultivation of Aspergillus niger in a wave-mixed bioreactor for the production of secondary metabolites.

Background: Filamentous fungi including Aspergillus niger are cell factories for the production of organic acids, proteins and bioactive compounds. Traditionally, stirred-tank reactors (STRs) are used to cultivate them under highly reproducible conditions ensuring optimum oxygen uptake and high growth rates. However, agitation via mechanical stirring causes high shear forces, thus affecting fungal physiology and macromorphologies.

Engineering of for the production of secondary metabolites.

Background: Filamentous fungi can each produce dozens of secondary metabolites which are attractive as therapeutics, drugs, antimicrobials, flavour compounds and other high-value chemicals. Furthermore, they can be used as an expression system for eukaryotic proteins. Application of most fungal secondary metabolites is, however, so far hampered by the lack of suitable fermentation protocols for the producing strain and/or by low product titers.

A bifunctional enzyme from Rhodococcus erythropolis exhibiting secondary alcohol dehydrogenase-catalase activities.

Alcohol dehydrogenases have long been recognized as potential biocatalyst for production of chiral fine and bulk chemicals. They are relevant for industry in enantiospecific production of chiral compounds. In this study, we identified and purified a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)-dependent secondary alcohol dehydrogenase (SdcA) from Rhodococcus erythropolis oxidizing γ-lactols into γ-lactones.