Improvement of a fed-batch process for high level xylanase production by a Bacillus strain

In this paper, the improvement of a fed‐batch fermentation from the point of view of an industrial xylanase production process is described. The Bacillus strain chosen for this study is able to produce high quantities of a xylanase that is suitable to be used as bleach boost agent in chlorine‐free bleaching sequences of paper pulp. It was found that xylo‐oligosaccharides (hydrolysis products from xylan by xylanase action) were indispensable for induction of the enzyme synthesis, but that their presence in quantities of only 0.1 g dm−3 xylose equivalents led to catabolite repression. A substrate‐limited fed‐batch process, that is the most adapted, was furthermore improved with regard to nutrient requirement of the microorganism, especially the nitrogen source. A process with constant supply of a culture medium containing xylan, peptone and mineral nitrogen was able to produce 20 240 nkat cm−3 with a productivity of 910 nkat cm−3 h−1, which places the process among the best ever reported. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry