A process for the production of ectoine and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) by Halomonas boliviensis

The paper reports a study involving the use of Halomonas boliviensis, a moderate halophile, for co-production of compatible solute ectoine and biopolyester poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) in a process comprising two fed-batch cultures. Initial investigations on the growth of the organism in a medium with varying NaCl concentrations showed the highest level of intracellular accumulation of ectoine (0.74 g L−1) at 10–15% (w/v) NaCl, while at 15% (w/v) NaCl, the presence of hydroxyectoine (50 mg L−1) was also noted. On the other hand, the maximum cell dry weight and PHB concentration of 10 and 5.8 g L−1, respectively, were obtained at 5–7.5% (w/v) NaCl. A process comprising two fed-batch cultivations was developed—the first culture aimed at obtaining high cell mass and the second for achieving high yields of ectoine and PHB. In the first fed-batch culture, H. boliviensis was grown in a medium with 4.5% (w/v) NaCl and sufficient levels of monosodium glutamate, NH4+, and PO43−. In the second fed-batch culture, the NaCl concentration was increased to 7.5% (w/v) to trigger ectoine synthesis, while nitrogen and phosphorus sources were fed only during the first 3 h and then stopped to favor PHB accumulation. The process resulted in PHB yield of 68.5 wt.% of cell dry weight and volumetric productivity of about 1 g L−1 h−1 and ectoine concentration, content, and volumetric productivity of 4.3 g L−1, 7.2 wt.%, and 2.8 g L−1 day−1, respectively. At salt concentration of 12.5% (w/v) during the second cultivation, the ectoine content was increased to 17 wt.% and productivity to 3.4 g L−1 day−1.