Pablo Contreras-Abara

Mr. Pablo Contreras-Abara

orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

7Years (2020-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

View All Publications
9 May 2020 in Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
PDF file
CPClaudio Padilla‐Córdova
Claudio Padilla‐Córdova
BMBeatrice Mongili
Beatrice Mongili
Pablo Contreras-AbaraPablo Contreras-Abara
Pablo Contreras-Abara
DFDebora Fino
Debora Fino
TTTonia Tommasi
Tonia Tommasi
ADAlvaro Díaz-Barrera
Alvaro Díaz-Barrera

28 April 2023 in Fermentation
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
Pablo Contreras-AbaraPablo Contreras-Abara
Pablo Contreras-Abara
TCTania Castillo
Tania Castillo
BPBelén Haydée Ponce
Belén Haydée Ponce
VUViviana Urtuvia
Viviana Urtuvia
CMCARLOS FELIPE PEÑA MALACARA
CARLOS FELIPE PEÑA MALACARA
ADAlvaro Díaz-Barrera
Alvaro Díaz-Barrera
Alginate is a biomaterial produced by Azotobacter vinelandii, a diazotroph that, under nitrogen-fixing conditions, can fix nitrogen under high oxygen levels. In A. vinelandii, alginate is synthesized from fructose-6P via synthesis of precursor, polymerization, and modification/exportation. Due to its viscosifying, gelling, and thickening characteristics, alginate is widely used in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetical industries. This study aimed to develop a continuous bioprocess and a comparative analysis of alginate production under diazotrophic and nondiazotrophic conditions. Continuous cultures were developed at three dilution rates (0.06, 0.08 and 0.10 h−1). In steady state, the respiratory activity, alginate production, alginate molecular weight and the genes encoding alginate polymerase were determined. Under the conditions studied, the specific oxygen uptake rate and respiratory quotient were similar. The diazotrophic conditions improved the conversion of sucrose to alginate and the specific productivity rate, which was 0.24 ± 0.03 g g−1 h−1. A higher alginate molecular weight (725 ± 20 kDa) was also achieved under diazotrophic conditions, which can be explained by an increase in the gene expression of genes alg8 and alg44 (encoding polymerase). The results of this work show the feasibility of enhancing alginate production (yields and specific productivity rates) and quality (molecular weight) under nitrogen-fixing conditions, opening the possibility of developing a continuous bioprocess to produce alginate with specific characteristics under conditions of diazotrophy.