Optimization of Coenzyme Q10 Production by Gluconobacter japonicus FM10 Using Response Surface Methodology

Introduction: CoQ10 is one of the antioxidants with a worldwide market. Nowadays the CoQ10 production has been considered by fermentation using microorganisms. In this study, the response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize culture composition for CoQ10 production by a previously isolated bacterium, Gluconobacter japonicus FM10. Materials and Methods: A central composite design (CCD) was employed to optimize the culture composition including sorbitol, yeast extract, peptone, KH2PO4, and MgSO4 for CoQ10 production. The dry cell weight (DCW) and CoQ10 concentration were monitored as response variables and the desirability function approach was applied to obtain the optimum level for each factor. Results: Results showed that an average, 3 mg/L of CoQ10 was obtained when the optimized culture composition were employed (110 g/L of sorbitol, 25 g/L of yeast extract, 35 g/L of peptone, 0.5 g/L of KH2PO4, and 0.55 g/L of MgSO4). In addition, the expected DCW reached 6 g/L in the presence of 90 g/L of sorbitol, 17.5 g/L of yeast extract, 35 g/L of peptone, 0 g/L of KH2PO4, and 1.7 g/L of MgSO4. Conclusions: The results of regression analysis revealed that the concentrations of peptone and sorbitol were the most effective factors in producing CoQ10 and DCW, respectively.