Utilization of algal sugars and glycerol for enhanced cephalosporin C production by Acremonium chrysogenum M35

In our previous study, glycerol was utilized as an additional carbon source for the production of cephalosporin C (CPC) by Acremonium chrysogenum M35. In this study, algal sugars extracted from the third-generation biomass were utilized in the CPC production for the first time. The CPC production improved about twofold when using the algal sugars as the carbon source. The complex medium including algal sugars and glycerol was utilized, and 7·3 g l⁻¹ CPC production was achieved in a 250-ml shaking flask. To determine the important variables for the CPC production, Plackett–Burman design was carried out and 6·18 g l⁻¹ of CPC was estimated under the numerically optimized conditions. Under the optimized conditions, the CPC production was performed in a 5-l scale bioreactor, affording CPC production at a rate of 7·1 g l⁻¹. Moreover, 6·7 g l⁻¹ CPC was produced using crude glycerol as the substrate. Significance and Impact of the Study: Microalgae are the biomass containing various components, such as carbohydrates, lipids, and amino acids. In this study, carbon sources contained in microalgae were obtained by acid extraction, and cephalosporin C (CPC), a β-lactam antibiotic intermediate, was produced by using Acremonium chrysogenum M35. In addition, the increase of CPC production was not distinct for A. chrysogenum M35 with algal sugars as the only carbon source; therefore, glycerol was added, increasing the CPC production. Thus, cheap residues such as algal sugars form microalgal and glycerol form biodiesel process could be used as the alternative sources for the production of various products.