How to Optimize Fermentation Process? Learn from the Workflows of BOC Sciences

From the early stage of strain cultivation to final commercial production, the fermentation production process will go through a complicated set of workflows that require constant optimization. BOC Sciences, working with a group of versatile experts in microbiology, chemistry, and biology, has accumulated much experience in this field.

BOC Sciences divides the whole fermentation optimization process into two sections: upstream and downstream process optimization.

Upstream Process Optimization

Strain improvement is the cornerstone of any commercial fermentation process and has been attached a large amount of attention by metabolite manufacturers. In most cases, it even determines the overall economics.

The fermentation industry usually expects the greatest productivity and lowest cost through the improvement of microbial strains. Many efforts are therefore expended on the selection of microbial hosts, strain improvement, and strain breeding. Besides, the cell's culture conditions are also taken into consideration as a factor that can affect the growth rate of strains. BOC Sciences mainly employs molecular and synthetic biology methods to improve microbial strain properties and achieve rapid growth, genetic stability, reduction of cultivation cost, etc.

Gene mutation is a highlighted service offered by BOC Sciences, through which the nucleotide sequence of organisms' genome is altered to obtain enhanced metabolic capacity. There are three main kinds of mutation methods being applied at BOC Sciences. The first one is non-site-specific mutagenesis, also known as random mutagenesis, which can alter the genes by contacting them with mutagens and environmental causes. Site-directed mutagenesis is another significant laboratory technique that introduces mutations into DNA sequences to establish genetic information libraries. The third method insertional mutagenesis generates mutations of DNA by the addition of one or more base pairs.

Strain development is a big project that should be coupled with a full spectrum of strategies including genetic recombination, high-throughput screening, and analytical technologies.

Downstream Process Optimization

Downstream process optimization (also known as DSP) for microbial fermentation refers to the extraction, concentration, and purification of drug substances from fermentation broths. DSP is heading for almost the same goal as strain improvement to cut down the cost but raise the yields of target products.

There are several things BOC Sciences can do to harvest a substantial number of molecules (antibodies, enzymes, hormones, etc.) of value. The multiple technologies involved in the downstream optimization process are solid-liquid separation, membrane filtration, chromatography purification, or cell disruption. Additionally, the concepts of Quality by Design (QbD) should be followed from beginning to end so that the final products can meet the requirements of both efficacy and safety. 

Conclusion

Fermentation process optimization is so complicated that technology intervention at a single stage is quite inadequate. Effective technologies are supposed to work alongside advanced facilities and multi-disciplinary expertise, which ultimately can help maximize fermentation efficiency.