Development of a novel microplate for high-throughput screening
and optimization of DHA producing strains based on CFD technology
Shao-Jie He1, Lin-Hui Yang1,
Yuan-Hang Du1, Ling-Ling Tong1, Yue
Wang1, Dong-Sheng Guo1*
1School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical
Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
*Corresponding Author: Dong-Sheng Guo, School of Food Science
and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, No. 1 Wenyuan
Road, Nanjing 210023, China. Email :guodongs@njnu.edu.cn
Abstract : Microtiter plates are suitable for screening and
process development of most microorganisms. They are currently the
container of choice for high-throughput and small-scale microbial
culture, but require optimization for specific work. This research
presents a novel type of microtiter plate was developed using
computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technology. The new plate provides
high oxygen supply and optimal mixing effects for the fermentation
culture of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) producing strains, surpassing the
conventional method of strains screening with shake flasks, which is
insufficient. the shape of the microtiter plate was modified, and
baffles were introduced to improve mass transfer and oxygen supply
effects in the vibrating bioreactor. CFD technology was used to model
the new plate’s characteristics, establishing the superiority of
hexagonal microtiter plates with six baffles. Parameters in the
incubation process, such as vibration frequency and liquid load, were
optimized, and the final result achieved a KLa of
0.61s-1 and a volume power input of 2364
w/m3, which was 4-5 times better than the original
96-well plate. The culture results optimized by the model were also
verified. Therefore, this new microtiter plate provides a powerful tool
for future high-throughput screening of strains.
Keywords : docosahexaenoic acid, computational fluid dynamics,
high-throughput screening, microplate
Abbreviations : CFD, computational fluid dynamics; DHA,
docosahexaenoic acid; KLa, Oxygen transfer coefficient;
ε, average turbulent dissipation rate; k, turbulent flow kinetic energy;
RSM, response surface methodology; MSG, monosodium glutamate; Yeast,
yeast extract; Glu, glucose.