Efficient biosynthesis of anticancer polysaccharide by a mutant Chaetomium globosum ALE20 via non-sterilized fermentation

Abstract

The sterilization process, due to its immense energy consumption, high facilities investment, and loss of raw materials by caramelization, during industrial production has drawn much attention. In this study, a methanol-resistant mutant strain, Chaetomium globosum ALE20, was obtained following 20 cycles of adaptive laboratory evolution process. The titer of anticancer polysaccharide (GCP-M) from C. globosum ALE20 reached 9.2 g/L with glycerol as sole carbon source using non-sterilized and fed-batch fermentation strategy. This titer represents a 200% increase compared with the 3.3 g/L attained with batch fermentation. The GCP-M monosaccharide was comprised of galactose, glucose, mannose and glucuronic acid, in a molar ratio of 3.83:66.37:3.26:1.95, respectively, and its weight-average molecular weight and polydispersity were 3.796 × 104 Da and 1.060, respectively. This work presents an ideal alternative and safer fermentation process without sterilization, and a useful approach for enhancing industrial production.