Statistical Screening of Process Variables for the Production of L-asparaginase from Cornflour by Aspergillus terreus MTCC 1782 in Submerged Fermentation

L-asparaginase has been used as anti-tumor agent for the effective treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and as food processing aid to reduce the formation of acrylamide during frying of starchy foods at high temperature. Objective of the present work was to study the effect of process variables such as cornflour (as natural substrate), urea (as supplementary nitrogen source), L-asparagine, glucose, di-potassium hydrogen phosphate, potassium chloride, inoculum size and pH on the production of extracellular L-asparaginase by Aspergillus terreus MTCC 1782 in shake culture fermentation. The effect and significance of these variables was studied using 2-level Plackett-Burman statistical design. The experimental L-asparaginase activity was subjected to statistical analysis using MINITAB 14 software. It was found that L-asparagine, cornflour and urea significantly influenced as most important factors on L-asparaginase production.