Planta Med 2009; 75 - PD8
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1234487

Optimization of the medicinal mushroom Ganoderma australe biomass production using Response Surface Methodology

LM Papaspyridi 1, P Katapodis 1, Z Gonou-Zagou 2, E Kapsanaki-Gotsi 2, P Christakopoulos 1
  • 1Laboratory of Biotechnology, School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Iroon Polytechniou str., Zografou Campus, 15700, Athens, Greece
  • 2Department of Ecology & Systematics, Faculty of Biology, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimioupoli, 15784, Athens, Greece

Mushrooms or fruiting bodies of many Basidiomycetes used in traditional therapies presenting medicinal effects are commonly produced in solid-state fermentation, generally after 20–60 days of growth. Recently, a number of substances of mushroom origin have been isolated, identified and shown to have physiological activities, such as antitumor, immunomodulating, cardiovascular, antibacterial, antiviral, antiparasitic, hepatoprotective and antidiabetic activities. Submerged fermentation of the mycelial form of mushroom-producing fungi has received much attention as a promising alternative for efficient and faster production of the biomass of medicinal mushrooms and their active metabolites [1]. The aim of this work was to study the effect of the composition of the nutrient media on the growth of vegetative mycelium in submerged cultures of the Basidiomycetes Ganoderma australe, which is a species of pharmaceutical interest [2]. Initially 95 different carbon sources were screened with the Biolog MicroPlate Analysis and then 9 of them were tested in shake flasks cultures [3]. The effect of various organic and complex nitrogen sources on biomass production was also examined and response surface methodology based on central composite design was applied to explore the optimal medium composition. When the optimized culture medium was tested in a 20-L stirred tank bioreactor, using 1.37% (w/v) glucose and 3.0% (w/v) yeast extract, high yields of biomass (11.0g L-1) and productivity of 0.17g L-1 h-1 were obtained.

References: [1] Tang, Y.J. et al. (2007) Food Technol. Biotechnol. 45:221–229.

[2] Rusell, R., Paterson, M. (2006) Phytochemistry 67:1985–2001.

[3] Kubicek, C.P. et al. (2003) Fungal Genet. Biol. 38:310–319.