대장균 변이주를 이용한 L-트립토판의 최적생산을 위해 목적산물의 생산과 유기산의 생성과의 상호관계를 조사한 결과 비 산생성속도(specific acid production rate)가 증가할수록 L-트립토판의 생산이 감소하는 것으로 나타났다. 따라서 L-트립토판 발효시 산의 생성량을 줄이기 위해 조절식 유가배양법을 도입하였는데 이 배양공정에서는 배양액내의 용존산소농도에 따라 영양배지의 유가속도를 조절하는 방식을 사용하여 세포증식속도를 제한, 세포의 산소요구량이 공급량을 초과하지 않도록 하였다. 이러한 조절식 유가배양법으로 대장균 세포를 배양한 결과 기존의 유가배양식에 비해 비 산생성속도가 현저하게 감소하였으며 L-트립토판의 생산은 5배 정도나 증가되었다.
For optimal production of L-tryptophan using a regulatory mutant of Escherichia coli the relationship between product formation and acid production was investigated. Experimental results showed that the production level of L-tryptophan was lowered as the specific acid production rate increased. In order to reduce the amount of acid produced during the fermentation, a controlled fed-batch fermentation was employed. In this fed-batch process, the feed rate of the nutrient feed medium was controlled in relation to the oxygen level in the culture and thus the growth of the cells was regulated in such n way that the oxygen demand of the culture could not exceed the oxygen sup-ply. When E. coli cells were cultivated in a controlled fed-batch mode of tormentor operation, the specific acid production rate was significantly reduced and L-tryptophan production was increased as much as five times that obtained in a conventional fed-batch fermentation.
