Revealing nutritional requirements of MICP-relevant Sporosarcina pasteurii DSM33 for growth improvement in chemically defined and complex media

Microbial induced calcite precipitation (MICP) based on ureolysis shows high potential in various applications, with Sporosarcina pasteurii being the most commonly used microorganism due to its high ureolytic activity. However, its cultivation is mainly done in complex media, leading to moderate biomass. This study aimed to improve S. pasteurii DSM 33 cultivation by identifying auxotrophic deficiencies and nutritional requirements. Microplate cultivations with online biomass monitoring in a chemically defined medium revealed deficiencies in L-methionine, L-cysteine, thiamine, and nicotinic acid, as well as requirements for phosphate, trace elements, and specific carbon sources (glucose, maltose, lactose, fructose, sucrose, acetate, L-proline, L-alanine). Supplementing common complex media (peptone and yeast extract) based on these findings resulted in a fivefold increase in optical density. A maximum OD600 of 26.6 ± 0.7 (CDW: 17.1 ± 0.5 g/L) was achieved with the improved yeast extract medium. Oxygen transfer rate and backscatter measurements further analyzed culture performance.

Frédéric M. Lapierre, Jakob Schmid, Benjamin Ederer, Nina Ihling, Jochen Büchs, Robert Huber