The duration of each phase was set based on lactate formation, carbon source consumption learn more rate and their influence on growth rates. Filtered exhaust medium was replaced with a fresh salt solution with a level controller, to maintain a constant fermentation volume. Microorganisms were therefore held in the vessel and fed with appropriate profiles generally

ranging from 1 to 5 g · l−1 · h−1. However, differently from previous data [34], the C/N ratio in the nutrient solution was lowered from 1/4 to 1/16 during the MF phase to further decrease the impact of raw materials on process costs. A Biostat C Braun Biotech International (Melsungen,Germany) bioreactor with a 15 l working volume was used for the production of exopolysaccharides. Two repeated batch experiments were carried out using SDM medium as previously described, in order to purify higher amounts of EPS to allow extensive structural characterization. Analytical methods Cell growth was followed during experiments by measuring selleck chemical absorbance at 600 nm on a Beckman DU 640 Spectrophotometer (Milan, Italy). Samples collected every hour were spinned down in an ALC PK 131R centrifuge at 2000×g, and the wet

weight was measured after centrifugation and washing in saline solution (0.9% NaCl w/v). The washed pellet was dried overnight (16–18 h) at 85°C and a calibration curve relating Apoptosis inhibitor the absorbance value to the cell dry weight was generated. One gram per litre of dry cell weight corresponded to 1.9 OD600. This correlation was extrapolated on many different fermentation experiments. Cell number was also measured by direct counts at eltoprazine the optical microscope and plating for viability determination (cfu). The supernatant (1 ml) was ultrafiltered on a centricon tube (10 KDa Mw cut–off, Millipore) at 5000×g to prepare the samples for analytical quantification. The concentration of glucose, or other carbon sources, was measured through HPAEC-PAD analysis performed with a Dionex chromatographer (model DX 500); the organic acids from the culture broth and the permeate solutions were analysed by HPLC as previously described [34]. A quick off-line determination

was obtained for glucose by using the Haemo-Glukotest 20–800 stripes (Boehringer-Manheim, In vitro diagnosticum). EPSs purification and quantification EPSs were collected and isolated from fermentation supernatants of L. crispatus L1. To quantify EPSs during growth, opportunely diafiltered supernatants were assayed using the anthrone/H2SO4 method [43], using a glucose solution as standard. After harvesting (e.g. 24 h) removal of cells was obtained by centrifugation (2000 × g 30 min) and the supernatants were recovered to purify EPSs. The developed downstream procedure consisted in a pre-treatment of the fermentation supernatant with 4U per litre of protease (Aspergillus oryzae 3.2 U⋅mg−1, Sigma) for 60 min at room temperature followed by membrane-based UF and DF steps.