KINETIC PARAMETER: YIELD COEFFICIENT

▪ Growth kinetics are generally further described by defining

stoichiometrically-related parameters
▪ ggg

▪ Yield coefficients are defined based on the amount of

consumption of a given material
X
▪ ff

It is like a slope of graph? What

▪ Growth Yield: YX / S = would be the graph?

S
X max − X 0
YX / S =
S0 − S
 KINETIC PARAMETER: YIELD COEFFICIENT
▪ For growth limiting X (mg cell/L)
substrate, when culture Glucose, Yx/s = 37.5

nearing Xm, substrate is

mostly spent, S  0
Glycerol, Yx/s = 20
(g cell / mol
substrate)
▪ gg

▪ Hence, if plot Xm against S0

we should have straight line Lactate, Yx/s = 7.6
with a slope of YX/S
▪ ff

▪ YX/S is important since it

represent the efficiency of
converting substrate into S (mmol/L)
cell
▪ Even though biomass yield (Yx/s) can be determined as described, the
value may not be constant throughout the growth curve. This is
mainly due to the consumption of substrate for maintenance
requirements.

▪ The relationship between the effect of maintenance on the measured

growth yield was described by Pirt (1975):
1 m 1
= + Ym = measured growth yield
Ym  YG YG = ‘True’ or theoretical growth yield

▪ Maintenance coefficient, m is usually very small and can be

determined by plotting 1/Ym vs 1/μ to give a straight line of a slope, m
and intercept 1/YG.

▪ Determination of maintenance coefficient is usually made by using

chemostat since it is difficult to vary μ in batch culture
KINETIC PARAMETER: YIELD COEFFICIENT
▪ Yield coefficients can also be defined for other substrates or for
product formation:
P
YP / S =
S
X
YX / O2 =
O2
YX/O2 is typically 0.9 to 1.4 g/g for most yeast and bacteria, but is much
lower for highly reduced substrates (e.g. methane, CH4)
 MASS BALANCE FOR DETERMINING SUBSTRATE UTILIZATION RATE
F, Si F & Fo = Flow rates of medium into and out of the
bioreactor (L/h)
If previous general V = Volume of the culture (L)
balance equation Si & So = Substrate concentrations (in and out, g/L)
deals with
intermediate
V, X, qp = specific product formation rate (1/h)
S, P
variables, this time Fo, So m = maintenance coefficient
we extend it to (g substrate consumed/DCW/h)
kinetics
parameters. Substrate
Substrate consumed
Substrate Substrate
utilization
= Substrate
fed
- consumed - for product - Maintenance - removal
for growth synthesis
dS F X qp X  Fo 
− = ( Si ) − − − m  X −  S
dt V Yx s Yp s V 
 ▪ The general equation includes feeding of fresh substrate into the
Since we are
bioreactor (fed-batch). For batch culture where there is no feed and
under the substrate removal, the equation becomes:
topic of yield Notice that the
coefficient,
and this feed inlet and
parameter is dS X q p X outlet have been
related to − =− − − mX cancelled.
substrate dt Yx s Yp s
utilisation
rate, we
therefore try
▪ Frequently the maintenance coefficient is very small compared with
to revise our the term (X)/Yx/s, and when there are no products formation, the
substrate
mass above equation becomes:
balance

dS X
− =−
dt Yx s
▪ Specific substrate utilisation rate, qs (g substrate / g cell
/ h) can be determined by rearranging the previous
equation.
Basically it is
▪ The parameter qs represents the rate of substrate a rearranged
previous
utilisation per unit amount of biomass: equation –
where the X
− 1  dS   qp is transferred
qs =  =− − −m from the right
X  dt  Yx s Yp s to the left
side.
MICROBIAL PRODUCT
▪ Classified into three Major Categories
Primary metabolites Secondary metabolites

i) Growth Associated ii) Non-Growth Associated iii) Mix-Growth Associated

Amino acids, alcohol, Antibiotics Amino acids, lactic acids, intermediates from
citric acid citric acid, extracellular polysaccharides
(xanthan & pullulan, acetone, butanol.
MASS BALANCE ON FERMENTER: PRODUCT FORMATION RATE
Product Product
F Accumulation
=
Synthesis
- Product
Removal
- Product
denaturation

dP  Fo 
= q p X −   − K pd P
V, X, dt V 
S, P
Fo Find anything ‘not right’ with this equation?

P = Product concentration; Kpd = Rate of product decay;

qp = Specific product formation rate

▪ If product is stable and not removed from bioreactor, then dP/dt = qpX
▪ Specific rate of product formation, qp = 1/X (dP/dt) You don’t even have
to rearrange, to
know this.
 ▪ Kinetic of product formation can be described using
Leudeking – Piret Equation
dP ▪dX
Notice = + X
that α
dt ▪dt (Mix Growth)
α and β: coefficients
and β
represent the growth
will
dP dX and non-growth
have = ▪ (Growth Associated) associated terms,
differe dt dt
respectively.
nt
units. dP ▪X
= (Non-Growth Associated)
dt
*Just memorise this & take it as it is. They could be derived easily based on
the understanding of the concept.
 𝑔𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡 1 1 𝑔𝐶𝑒𝑙𝑙 𝑔𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡
i) Growth-associated products 𝐿
× = ×
ℎ ℎ 𝐿
×
𝑔𝐶𝑒𝑙𝑙
Direct products of catabolic* pathways such as ethanol,
Intermediates of the basic metabolic pathways, e.g. amino acids & vitamins.
Is this correct?
dP X
The rate of the product formation: = a 𝑑𝑃
dt Yp x
= 𝜇 𝑋 𝑌𝑝/𝑋
*Catabolic reactions: breaking down of molecules to form energy 𝑑𝑡
ii) Partially growth-associated products
Products formed during part of the growth phase, e.g. lactic acid.
dP dX Try to relate
The rate of product formation: = + X b this to
dt dt
graphical
Dividing by X, we have: q p =  +  c linear
curve...
When the product is associated with energy metabolism as a
catabolite of the carbon source, or in other word,
If product is formed during growth phase, it may not be possible to
separate out the amount of substrate consumed for cell growth, from that
consumed to produce product. Under these circumstances, all substrate
consumed for growth & product formation is lumped into a single
stoichiometric yield coefficient,Yx/s

Why this
arrangement is dS  X  E.g. Lactic acid
=   + mX d
(end product of
done? So that, it is
dt Y  glucose
suited to partially  xs  metabolism, to
growth associated produce cellular
model. energy – ATP)

1 dS 
OR = +m e Glucose → Lactic
X dt Yx s acid + ATP + NAD+
 1 dS
We already know that = qs
X dt
Multiply equation e with Yp/s to become:
 Yp s 
Yp s .qs =    + mYp f
 Yx s  s
 
Y p s .qs = q p Try to compare to the
previous equation

Therefore; c
 Yp s 
Specific product formation rate, q p =   + mYp g
Y  s
 xs 
From equations e and g , it may be seen that α and β of
Equation c are related to Yp/s/Yx/s and mYp/s, respectively.

iii) Non-growth associated products

Commonly called secondary metabolites, which are products not
necessary for the growth of the organisms such as antibiotic
and certain microbial toxins. It is not possible in such cases to
relate product formation and growth.