Modified arthroconidial inoculation method for the efficient fermentation of Antrodia camphorata ATCC 200183

Abstract

Large-scale submerged fermentation (SmF) of Antrodia camphorata usually encounters engineering problems, such as long period and complex fermentation. In this study, a modified inoculation method using arthroconidia sporulated in liquid medium was developed for an efficient large-scale fermentation of A. camphorata ATCC 200183. The optimum environmental and nutritional conditions for arthroconidial germination in the dark control were estimated as follows: temperature, 26°C; glucose, 20g/L; soybean peptone, 10g/L; Mg2+ concentration, 2mmol/L; and initial pH, 3.5. All the arthroconidia rapidly germinated within 32h after inoculation under optimal conditions. In the shaking flask, prepared according to the arthroconidial inoculation method, the fermentation period, maximal cell growth rate, and triterpenoid productivity of SmF were 0.6-, 1.7-, and 1.6-fold of those obtained from the culture prepared according to the conventional mycelial inoculation method. Furthermore, efficient fermentation was obtained in a 4000L fermentor, with a biomass of 7.84±0.20g/L and a triterpenoid production of 61.21±2.12mg/L. Therefore, the modified inoculation method can be used in engineering applications with several advantages, including simplicity, good controllability, and high efficiency (shorten the operation time of mycelium-based inoculation from ≥240h to 168h).