Screening and fermentation process optimization of an efficient ammonia nitrogen-assimilating yeast strain

Abstract:

Objective To screen out a yeast strain that can efficiently assimilate ammonia nitrogen, optimize the solid-state fermentation conditions based on the nutrient composition, antioxidant activity, and amino acid content of the feed, and provide a scientific basis for the production of single-cell protein feed with this yeast strain.Methods Five strains of Candida utilis, four strains of Pichia anomala, five strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and three strains of Issatchenkia orientalis were cultured with (NH₄)₂SO₄ as the sole nitrogen source. The yeast strain with the highest ammonia utilization rate and the highest glutamine synthetase (GS) activity was selected as the test strain, and then the fermentation parameters and fermentation substrates were optimized for this strain. The routine nutrient composition, content of phytate phosphorusand amino acids, and scavenging rates against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline- 6-sulfonicacid) (ABTS) free radicals of the fermented feed were determined.Results C. utilis CJ121 showed an ammonia utilization rate of 55.39% and a GS activity of 0.29 μmol/(h·g), which were higher than those of other yeast strains. The optimal fermentation process for C. utilis CJ12 was fermentation with a (NH₄)₂SO₄ addition amount of 2% and an inoculation amount of 8% for 36 h. The optimal fermentation substrate was composed of 94.8% wheat bran, 5% soybean meal, 0.1% protease, and 0.1% cellulase. After fermentation with C. utilis CJ12, the content of crude protein and organic nitrogen increased by 15.95% and 28.46%, respectively (P<0.05), while that of dry matter, crude fiber, crude fat, and phytate phosphorus decreased by 4.19%, 19.41%, 12.29%, and 13.51%, respectively (P<0.05). The total amino acid content increased after fermentation (P<0.05), with glutamine and glutamic acid levels being 111.38 times and 3.02 times those of the control group, respectively. However, the control group exhibited higher levels of tryptophan, asparagine, and 4-aminobutyric acid, which were 13.41, 8.27, and 6.41 times those of the experimental group, respectively. In addition, the scavenging abilities against DPPH and ABTS free radicals increased after fermentation (P<0.05), with the IC₅₀ values decreasing by 73.51% and 6.01%, respectively (P<0.05).Conclusion C. utilis CJ12 has high capacities of utilizing ammonia nitrogen and synthesizing glutamine. This strain improves the nutritional value and antioxidant performance of feed after solid-state fermentation, thus demonstrating the potential for producing functional single-cell protein feed.