Application of an improved continuous parallel shaken bioreactor system for three microbial model systems

Abstract

A continuous parallel shaken bioreactor system, combining the advantages of shaken bioreactors with the advantages of continuous fermentation, was specifically manufactured from quartz glass and provides a geometric accuracy of <1 mm. Two different model systems (facultative anaerobic bacterium C. glutamicum, and Crabtree-negative yeast P. stipitis), whose growth behaviour and metabolite formation are affected by dilution rate and oxygen availability, were studied. The transition from non-oxygen to limited conditions as function of the dilution rate could precisely be predicted applying the approach described by Maier et al. (Biochem Eng J 17:155-167, 2004). In addition, the Crabtree-positive yeast S. cerevisiae was simultaneously studied in the continuous parallel shaken bioreactor system and in a conventional 1-L bioreactor, for comparison. Essentially the same results were obtained in both types of bioreactors. However, many more reading points were obtained with the parallel shaken bioreactor system in the same time at much lower consumption of culture media.

Biochemical engineering science

“…15, 85748 Garching, Germany e-mail: d.weuster-botz@lrz.tum.de; D.Weuster-Botz@lrz.tu-muenchen.de URL: http://www.mw.tum.de/biovt/ combines the advantages of shaken bioreactors with continuous fermentation [1]. The next paper is from the group of Dirk Weuster-Botz (Intitute of Biochemical Engineering at the Technical University of Munich, Germany), who was the head of fermentation group at the Institute of Christian Wandrey from 1991 to 1999.…”

Critical analysis of engineering aspects of shaken flask bioreactors

“…A number of miniaturized, mostly stirred parallel bioreactor systems were introduced which partly allow a quasi-continuous operation. During the past six decades, many types of continuous reactor systems have been introduced (Evans, Herbert, and Tempest, 1970;Walther et al, 1994;Gu et al, 1996;Whiteley, Brown, and McLean, 1997;Horiuchi et al, 2003;Lamping et al, 2003;Akgun et al, 2004;Zhang et al, 2006;Akgun et al, 2008). Several reviews and papers pioneering the theoretical analysis of continuous culture systems have subsequently been published by various authors (Moser, 1958;Herbert, 1961;Malek, 1960;Herbert, Elsworth, and Telling, 1965;Malek and Fencl, 1966;Betts and Baganz, 2006).…”

“…The first generation of the continuous parallel shaken bioreactor system consisted of four special reactor vessels modified from the 250 mL Erlenmeyer flasks. Akgun et al (2008) recently demonstrated the applicability of continuous parallel bioreactor system, with well-defined reactor geometry with six parallel bioreactors. This assembly was termed as "CosBios system.…”

“…Continuous fermentations of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae H1022 (ATCC 32167) in the shaken bioreactor system and in a conventional stirred tank fermentor showed very similar results. Akgun et al (2008) manufactured new reactor vessels, named CosBios, from cylindrical quartz glass with a diameter and height of 85 mm. The quartz outlet tubes with an inner diameter of 0.002 m were melted onto the sides of the quartz glass cylinders at a height of 0.07 m applying a jig, resulting in a geometric accuracy of <0.001 m. This cylindrical quartz glass body was clamped between two metal parts (base and cover) and was held together by lathed rods.…”

High Throughput in Biotechnology: From Shake-Flasks to Fully Instrumented Microfermentors

“…A novel approach for continuous culture based in a shaken reactor system was also developed and later improved [64][65][66][67]. The novel bioreactor system is basically composed by specially designed 250-mL shake flask with two inlets and one outlet.…”