66622 - Fermentation Biotechnology

Academic Year 2021/2022

  • Docente: Marco Candela
  • Credits: 6
  • SSD: CHIM/11
  • Language: Italian
  • Moduli: Marco Candela (Modulo 1) Marco Candela (Modulo 2)
  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures (Modulo 1) Traditional lectures (Modulo 2)
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: First cycle degree programme (L) in Biotechnology (cod. 8005)

Learning outcomes

Aim of the course is the knowledge of the fermentative processes used in the industrial production of primary and secondary metabolites, biomasses and recombinant proteins. Bacteria, yeasts, moulds and mammalian cells are used in batch fermentation, fed batch fermentation, continuous culture, continuous culture with cell/substrate recycle. Kinetics of microbial growth and product formation in industrial fermentation processes will be described.

Students will learn to work with small bench fermentors. Batch fermentations will be carried out, monitoring and controlling several parameters in order to optimize the production of primary metabolites and recombinant proteins. pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, agitation and biomass yield will be controlled

Course contents

Kinetics of microbial growth and product formation in industrial fermentation processes: batch fermentation, fed batch fermentation, continuous culture, continuous culture with cell/substrate recycle. Medium formulation. Bioreactors. Scale up of microbial processes. Experimental design for improvement of fermentation. Downstream processes. Immobilized cells and enzymes. Examples of industrial fermentative processes. Application of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)-based matagenomics to microbiome biotechnology, microbiome bioprospecting and synthetic biology.

The laboratory course will address the following experiences: Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation for the ethanol production: estimation of the production yield. Diauxic kinetics, batch growth of Escherichia coli in presence of two carbon sources (glucose and lactose): catabolite repression. Fermentation of microbiomes from food matrices, NGS characterization and bioprospecting for the production antimicrobial compounds

Readings/Bibliography

A.L. Demain and J.E. Davies. Manual of industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology. American Society for Microbiology, Washington, DC, 1999. Papers and reviews suggested by the teacher

 Lesk Introduction to Bioinformatics (V Edition_2019)

Metagenomics, perspectives, methods and applications, M Nagarajan (2017)

Brook, biology of microorganisms 15th edition

Pubblicazioni e review suggerite dal docente.

Dispense delle lezioni e di laboratorio.

Teaching methods

Employment of the fermentation processes in different industrial fields (pharmaceuticals, alimentary, chemicals, ecology, energy). The course is supplementd by a single bench laboratory

Students will use fermenters of different working volume. Operations of the fermentative process such as assembly of the bioreactor, medium loading, sterilization, inoculum, set up and online monitor of several parameter (pH, dissolved oxygen, stirrer, foam and temperature) will be performed by each student.

Assessment methods

Students will be tested with an oral exam. The latter will verify the knowledge about the fermentation kinetics and industrial processes

Teaching tools

PC, projector.

Single bench laboratory of fermentation biotechnology

Office hours

See the website of Marco Candela

SDGs

Responsible consumption and production Climate Action Life on land

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.