Continuous cadaverine production using κ-carrageenan/polyethylenimine-immobilized cells with exceptional catalytic performance
摘要
Cadaverine, a key precursor for nylon, is conventionally produced using free whole-cell lysine decarboxylase systems, with poor recoverability and limited reusability undermining industrial viability. Here, CadA-overexpressing E. coli were entrapped in κ-carrageenan and subsequently crosslinked with polyethylenimine (PEI) to enhance stability and operational longevity. Systematic optimization of gel parameters and CTAB permeabilization enabled robust 100-mL packed-bed reactor directly fed with lysine fermentation broth. The reactor maintained stable operation for 200 h, yielding 6.40 L of broth containing 112 g/L cadaverine at 97.4% conversion and productivity of 44.8 g/gDCW/h. Immobilized cells reached a total catalyst productivity of 8.96 kg cadaverine per gram dry cell weight and 19-fold increase over free cells. These advantages position κ-carrageenan/PEI immobilization as a practical and economical strategy for continuous cadaverine production.