Development of a novel microplate for high-throughput screening and optimization of DHA producing strains based on CFD technology.

Abstract

Microtiter plates are suitable for screening and process development of most microorganisms. They are currently the container of choice for high-throughput and small-scale microbial culture, but require optimization for specific work. In this research, a novel type of microtiter plate was developed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technology. The new plate provided high oxygen supply and optimal mixing effects for the fermentation culture of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) producing strains, surpassing the conventional method of strain screening with shake flasks, which was insufficient. The shape of the microtiter plate was modified, and baffles were introduced to improve mass transfer and oxygen supply effects in the vibrating bioreactor. CFD technology was used to model the new plate's characteristics, establishing the superiority of hexagonal microtiter plates with six baffles. Parameters in the incubation process, such as vibration frequency and liquid load, were optimized, and the final result achieved an oxygen transfer coefficient (KL a) of 0.61s-1 and a volume power input of 2364 wm-3 , which was four to five times better than the original 96-well plate. The culture results optimized by the model were also verified. Therefore, this new microtiter plate provides a powerful tool for future high-throughput screening of strains.