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Strain improvement of Aspergillus sojae for increased l-leucine aminopeptidase and protease production

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Abstract

Conventional random mutagenesis was implemented to improve l-leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) and protease production in Aspergillus sojae. Through successive mutagenesis by ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS), UV, and 1-methyl-2-nitro-1-nitrosoguanidine (NTG), EMS25, EU36, and EUN13 mutants from each mutagenesis process were screened using a newly developed quick and easy screening method. The mutant EUN13 exhibited a 9.6-fold increase in LAP [50.61 ± 4.36 U/g-initial dried substrate (IDS)] and a 3.8-fold increase in protease production (13.36 ± 0.31 U/g-IDS) on solid-state fermentation. This mutant showed more frequent branching and higher lap1 mRNA expression as compared to the parent strain SMF 131, which at least in part contributed to the increased LAP and protease production. The mutant EUN13 can be used as a starter organism for diverse industrial soybean fermentation processes for the production of conventional products such as meju, doenjang, and ganjang as well as for the production of new fermented soybean-based sauces.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the World-Class 300 project, and by the Partnership programs of Strengthening technological competency for Small and Medium Enterprise (S2483241) funded by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS, Korea).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Bio and Fermentation Convergence Technology, BK21 PLUS Project, Kookmin University, Seoul, 02707, Korea

    Jaeho Lim & Inhyung Lee

  2. Sempio Fermentation Research Center, Sempio Foods Company, Osong, Chungcheongbukdo, 28156, Korea

    Yong-Ho Choi & Byung-Serk Hurh

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  1. Jaeho Lim
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  2. Yong-Ho Choi
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  4. Inhyung Lee
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Correspondence to Inhyung Lee.

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Lim, J., Choi, YH., Hurh, BS. et al. Strain improvement of Aspergillus sojae for increased l-leucine aminopeptidase and protease production. Food Sci Biotechnol 28, 121–128 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-018-0427-9

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