T. Sathish

Modelling and optimization of fermentation factors for enhancement of alkaline protease production by isolated Bacillus circulans using feed-forward neural network and genetic algorithm

Aim:  Modelling and optimization of fermentation factors and evaluation for enhanced alkaline protease production by Bacillus circulans.

Mixture design as first step for improved glutaminase production in solid-state fermentation by isolated Bacillus sp. RSP-GLU

Aim:  Investigation of mixture‐design impact on glutaminase production by isolated Bacillus sp.

Biohydrogen production process optimization using anaerobic mixed consortia: a prelude study for use of agro-industrial material hydrolysate as substrate.

Efficient biohydrogen production from lignocellulosic hydrolysate assumes considerable practical and academic importance. The impact of glucose to xylose ratio, medium pH, inoculum size and age on biohydrogen production indicated that glucose to xylose ratio is the critical parameter for effective H(2) production compared to either pure glucose or xylose as carbon source. Inoculum size and its age contributed more than 70% to overall H(2) production and revealed significance at individual as well as interactive level. Maximum interaction of 39% and 32% was noticed with inoculum size and its age vs. glucose to xylose ratio (2:3), respectively. The H(2) production yield enhanced from 140 to 357 ml/g substrate upon statistical optimization revealing >240% improvement.

Nickel-Impregnated Silica Nanoparticle Synthesis and Their Evaluation for Biocatalyst Immobilization

In the present investigation, impact of nickel-impregnated silica paramagnetic particles (NSP) as biocatalyst immobilization matrices was investigated. These nanoparticles were synthesized by sol–gel route using a nonionic surfactant block co polymer [poly (ethylene glycol)-block-poly-(propylene glycol)-block-poly (ethylene glycol)]. Diastase enzyme was immobilized on these particles (enzyme-impregnated NSP) as model enzyme and characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. Analysis of enzyme-binding nature with these nanoparticles at different physiological conditions revealed that binding pattern and activity profile varied with the pH of the reaction mixture. The immobilized enzyme was further characterized for its biocatalytic activity with respect to kinetic properties such as Km and Vmax and compared with free enzyme. Paramagnetic nanoparticle-immobilized enzyme showed more affinity for substrate compared to free one. The nature of silica and nickel varied from amorphous to crystalline nature and vice versa upon immobilization of enzyme. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of its kind for change of nature from one form to other under normal temperatures upon diastase interaction with NSP.

Development of balanced medium composition for improved rifamycin B production by isolated Amycolatopsis sp. RSP-3.

Aim:  To develop optimum fermentation environment for enhanced rifamycin B production by isolated Amycolatopsis sp. RSP‐3.

Intensification of Fructosyltransferases and Fructo-Oligosaccharides Production in Solid State Fermentation by Aspergillus awamori GHRTS

The present work was aimed to investigate the impact of the solid substrates mixture on Fructosyltransferases (FTase) and Fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) production. An augmented simplex lattice design was used to optimize a three component mixture for FTase production. Among selected substrates corn cobs has highest impact on FTase production followed by wheat bran and rice bran. All two substrates and three substrate combinations showed the highest enzyme production than their individual levels. Among the tested various models quadratic model was found to be the best suitable model to explain mixture design. Corncobs, wheat bran and rice bran in a ratio of approximately 45:29:26 is best suitable for the FTase production by isolated Aspergillusawamori GHRTS. This study signifies mixture design could be effective utilize for selection of best combination of multi substrate for improved production of high value products under solid state fermentation.