Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Investigation of β-galactosidase production by microalga Tetradesmus obliquus in determined growth conditions

  • Published:
Journal of Applied Phycology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

β-Galactosidase is a commercially important enzyme widely used in the food industry for the manufacturing of lactose-hydrolyzed products and synthesis of probiotic food ingredients. It could also be used to reduce the environmental impacts of the dairy industry relative to lactose disposal. This enzyme has been isolated from different sources, with varying properties and potential for diverse applications. Several microalgae have been screened for β-galactosidase activity, among which the chlorophyte Tetradesmus obliquus showed significant levels. The production of enzymes from microalgae could emerge as a valuable avenue for the utilization of its biomass. In addition, this particular microalga can grow mixotrophically on lactose as an organic carbon source, offering additional possibilities for the utilization of lactose. This study investigates the production of β-galactosidase from T. obliquus under different trophic conditions and known media composition, in order to assess their influence on its productivity and selectivity. Results show that the photoautotrophic cultures provide a highest selectivity, while mixotrophic conditions provide higher productivities due to faster growth and higher biomass yields. Further studies on mixotrophic cultures using lactose revealed no significant differences on β-galactosidase production when varying the concentrations of organic carbon and nitrogen nutrients. The age of culture has a strong influence on the enzyme production, suggesting a dependence on the growth phase. Maximal enzyme productivities obtained in mixotrophic conditions on lactose reach about 12.35 U L−1 day−1 after 7 days, which is a realistic duration for producing the enzyme at larger scales in bioreactors.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Brasil BSAF, De Siqueira FG, Salum TFC, Zanette CM, Spier MR (2017) Microalgae and cyanobacteria as enzyme biofactories. Algal Res 25:76–89

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deschênes J-S, Boudreau A, Tremblay R (2015) Mixotrophic production of microalgae in pilot-scale photobioreactors: practicability and process considerations. Algal Res 10:80–86

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dickson RC, Markin J (1980) Physiological studies of β-galactosidase induction in Kluyveromyces lactis. J Bacteriol 142:777–785

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Girard J-M, Deschênes J-S, Tremblay R, Gagnon J (2013) FT-IR/ATR univariate and multivariate calibration models for in situ monitoring of sugars in complex microalgal culture media. Bioresour Technol 144:664–668

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Girard J-M, Roy M-L, Ben Hafsa M, Gagnon J, Faucheux N, Heitz M, Tremblay R, Deschênes J-S (2014) Mixotrophic cultivation of green microalgae Scenedesmus obliquus on cheese whey permeate for biodiesel production. Algal Res 5:241–248

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • González Siso MI (1996) The biotechnological utilization of cheese whey: a review. Bioresour Technol 57:1–11

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haider T, Husain Q (2007) Preparation of lactose free milk by using ammonium sulphate fractionated proteins from almonds. J Sci Food Agric 87:1278–1283

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jacob F, Monod J (1961) Genetic regulatory mechanisms in the synthesis of proteins. J Mol Biol 3:318–356

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kazemi S, Khayati G, Faezi-Ghasemi M (2016) β-Galactosidase production by Aspergillus niger ATCC 9142 using inexpensive substrates in solid-state fermentation: optimization by orthogonal arrays design. Iran Biomed J 20.5:287–294

    Google Scholar 

  • Khabarova Y, Tornianen S, Tuomisto S, Järvelä I, Karhunen P, Isokoski M, Mattila K (2011) Lactase non-persistent genotype influences milk consumption and gastrointestinal symptoms in Northern Russians. BMC Gastroenterol 11:124

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kim JW, Rajagopal SN (2000) Isolation and characterization of β-galactosidase from Lactobacillus crispatus. Folia Microbiol 45:29–34

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Law J, Lee S, Tseng A, Tsui KW, Yu N (2002) The role of glycerol and isopropyl thiogalactoside in Escherichia coli growth and lactose induction of β-galactosidase. J Exp Microbiol Immunol 2:97–102

    Google Scholar 

  • Miksch G, Dobrowolski P (1995) Growth phase-dependent induction of stationary-phase promoters of Escherichia coli in different gram-negative bacteria. J Bacteriol 177:5374–5378

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miller JH (1972) Experiments in molecular genetics. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor

    Google Scholar 

  • Mlichova Z, Rosenberg M (2006) Current trends of β-galactosidase application in food technology. J Food Nutr Res 45:47–54

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nagy Z, Keresztessy Z, Szentirmai A, Biro S (2001) Carbon source regulation of β-galactosidase biosynthesis in Penicillium chrysogenum. J Basic Microbiol 41:351–362

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Panesar PS, Kumari S, Panesar R (2010) Potential applications of immobilized β-galactosidase in food processing industries. Enzyme Res 2010:473137

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perini BLB, Souza HCM, Kelbert M, Apati GP, Pezzin APT, Schneider ALS (2013) Production of β-galactosidase from cheese whey using Kluyveromyces marxianus CBS 6556. Chem Eng Trans 32:991–996

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosolen MD, Gennari A, Volpato G, De Souza CFV (2015) Lactose hydrolysis in milk and dairy whey using microbial β-galactosidases. Enzyme Res 2015:806240

    Google Scholar 

  • Shaukat A, Levitt MD, Taylor BC, MacDonald R, Shamliyan TA, Kane RL, Wilt TJ (2010) Systematic review: effective management strategies for lactose intolerance. Ann Intern Med 152:797–803

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shukla RT (1975) Beta-galactosidase technology: a solution to the lactose problem. CRC Crit Rev Food Technol 5:325–356

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sienkiewicz T, Riedel CL (1990) Whey and whey utilization: possibilities for utilization in agriculture and foodstuffs. Verlag Th., Mann, Gelsenkirchen-Buer

  • Stein JR (ed) (1973) Handbook of phycological methods: culture methods and growth measurements. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Strickland JDH, Parsons TR (1968) A practical handbook of seawater analysis. Fisheries Research Board of Canada, Ottawa, pp 181–184

    Google Scholar 

  • Tremblay G, Belzile C, Gosselin M, Poulin M, Roy S, Tremblay J (2009) Late summer phytoplankton distribution along a 3500 km transect in Canadian Arctic waters: strong numerical dominance by picoeukaryotes. Aquat Microb Ecol 54.1:55–70

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wynne MJ, Hallan JK (2015) Reinstatement of Tetradesmus GM Smith (Sphaeropleales, Chlorophyta). Feddes Repert 126:83–86

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zarate S, Lopez-Leiva MH (1990) Oligosaccharide formation during enzymatic lactose hydrolysis: a literature review. J Food Prot 53:262–268

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu CJ, Lee YK (1997) Determination of biomass dry weight of marine microalgae. J Appl Phycol 9:189–194

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

This study received a financial support from NSERC (National Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada), INAF (Institute of Nutrition And functional Foods - Pilot projects program), FRQNT (Fonds de Recherche du Québec sur la Nature et les Technologies), and MAPAQ (Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation du Québec - Innov’Action program).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Département de mathématiques, d’informatique et de génie, Collectif de recherche appliquée aux bioprocédés et à la chimie de l’environnement (CRABE), Université du Québec à Rimouski, 300, Allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, Québec, G5L 3A1, Canada

    Jihed Bentahar & Jean-Sébastien Deschênes

  2. Département des sciences des aliments, Institut sur la Nutrition et les Aliments Fonctionnels (INAF), Faculté des sciences de l’agriculture et de l’alimentation, Université Laval, 2425, rue de l’Agriculture, Québec City, Québec, G1V 0A6, Canada

    Alain Doyen & Lucie Beaulieu

Authors
  1. Jihed Bentahar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Alain Doyen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Lucie Beaulieu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jean-Sébastien Deschênes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jean-Sébastien Deschênes.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Bentahar, J., Doyen, A., Beaulieu, L. et al. Investigation of β-galactosidase production by microalga Tetradesmus obliquus in determined growth conditions. J Appl Phycol 31, 301–308 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-018-1550-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-018-1550-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation