Title of Invention	A PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF A XYLANASE-RICH ENZYME COMPLEX
Abstract	A process for the manufacture of a xylanase-rich enzyme complex by the cultivation of a xylanase-producing microorganism of the genus Trichoderma in a nutrient medium comprises using in the cultivation a pre-treated thin stillage of rye as the xylanase inductor and simultaneously as the carbon source, with the pre-treatment comprising a removal of the solid constituents of the thin stillage of rye, a concentration of the non- volatile components by evaporation of water and other volatile substances as well as a subsequent autoclaving of the thin stillage of rye concentrate resulting therefrom. In a further aspect of this process in accordance with the invention, de-oiled soya meal or soya meal liquor is used as an additional xylanase inductor and as a nitrogen source; by the addition of the de-oiled soya meal or soya meal liquor to the pre-treated thin stillage of rye a further increase in the xylanase production is achieved. The enzyme complexes manufactured by the process in accordance with the invention can be used immediately in the animal feedstuff industry, especially in poultry nutrition; their use in, for example, rye-, barley- or triticale-containing feedstuffs has a favourable influence on the reduction of the antinutritive action of the non-starch polysaccharides and leads to an improved digestability and absorption of the nutrients in the intestine of the animal.

Title of Invention

A PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF A XYLANASE-RICH ENZYME COMPLEX

Abstract

A process for the manufacture of a xylanase-rich enzyme complex by the cultivation of a xylanase-producing microorganism of the genus Trichoderma in a nutrient medium comprises using in the cultivation a pre-treated thin stillage of rye as the xylanase inductor and simultaneously as the carbon source, with the pre-treatment comprising a removal of the solid constituents of the thin stillage of rye, a concentration of the non- volatile components by evaporation of water and other volatile substances as well as a subsequent autoclaving of the thin stillage of rye concentrate resulting therefrom. In a further aspect of this process in accordance with the invention, de-oiled soya meal or soya meal liquor is used as an additional xylanase inductor and as a nitrogen source; by the addition of the de-oiled soya meal or soya meal liquor to the pre-treated thin stillage of rye a further increase in the xylanase production is achieved. The enzyme complexes manufactured by the process in accordance with the invention can be used immediately in the animal feedstuff industry, especially in poultry nutrition; their use in, for example, rye-, barley- or triticale-containing feedstuffs has a favourable influence on the reduction of the antinutritive action of the non-starch polysaccharides and leads to an improved digestability and absorption of the nutrients in the intestine of the animal.

Full Text	The present invention is concerned with a fermentative process for the manufacture of xylanase-rich enzyme complexes using pre-treated thin stillage of rye as an inductor for (he xyianase formation. As is known, xyianase is the term for an enzyme which is assigned to the hemicellulases and which hydrolyzes xylans (or "wood gums") to xylose and other sugars. The enzyme is also known as endo-l,4-P-D-xylanase or 1,4-P-D-xylan xylanohydrolase and belongs to the EC 3.2.1.8 enzyme class, Xylans themselves, which are polysaccaridcs from 1,4-3-glycoside-linked D-xylopyranoses with short side-chains of different composition and which also contain arabinose, glucose, galactose and/or glucuronic acid as well as acetyl and methyl groups in the molecule, are components of many deciduous and coniferous trees as well as of cereals, bran, pectin, tragacanth, plant gums etc. Having regard to their presence in wood, xylans belong to the widest variety of natural materials. In view of their structural diversity, the complete degradation of branched, partially acctylated xylans requires the action of a variety of xylanases, by which the xylans are hydrolyzed to xylose and other sugars. This mode of action of xylanases is complex and is always realized in conjunction with other (to some extent synergistically acting) enzymes. Xylanases are formed by fungi, e.g. Trichoderma, Penicillium, Aspergillus, Talaromyces and Sporofrichtmi, and bacteria, e.g. Clostridium, Cellulomonas, Bacillus, Thermononspora and Ruminococcus. They are used in the cellulose industry primarily as bleaching and improving agents and recently in the manufacture of animal feed. With respect to the latter field of application, investigations concerning the use of exogenous enzymes, e.g. of xylanases, in feeds containing rye, barley or triticale point to a favourable influence of the respective preparations on the reduction of the antinutritivc action of the non-starch polysaccharides and to an improved digestibility and absorption of the nutrients in the intestine of the animal. The most important group of enzymes, which nowadays is used especially in broiler rearing, consists just of those enzymes which can hvdrolyzc the non-starch polysaccharides present in cereal types such as, barley, wheat and rye. Several preparations containing such enzymes are already on the market, such as, for example, Roxazyme® G (Roche), which contains cellulase, P-glucanase and xylanase as the main enzymes. Such preparations are admixed with the animal feed because of the aforementioned advantages in animal feeding; the xylanase-rich enzyme complexes manufactured in accordance with the invention serve as very UvSeful materials for the production of these preparations. The use of xylanase as a feed additive in poultry nutrition represents an important field of application, with, for example, a substantially increased nutritive value of broiler feed being produced compared with that which is achieved with energy-poor cereal types, such as barley, oats, rye and triticale, without such a feed additive [see Mh. Vet.-Med. 48, 213-217 (1993) and the references cited therein]. As mentioned above, the present invention is concerned with a process for the manufacture of said enzyme complexes, namely by cultivation of a xylanase-producing microorganism of the genus Trichoderma in a nutrient medium, which basically contains carbon sources, nitrogen sources and particular salts, and isolation from the nutrient medium of the xylanase-rich (and at the same time cellulase- as well as P-glucanase-reduced) enzyme complex which is formed. In particular, microorganisms of the genus Trichoderma are effective as formers of polysaccharolytic activity with clear preference for cellulolytic (i.e. the activity is preferably directed towards the degradation of cellulose). Many attempts have been made to change this spectrum of activity, inter alia with the object of selectively increasing the xylanolytic activity. To this end, xylan-containing substances have been added to the nutrient medium (fermentation medium) in order to achieve an induction of the xylanase formation. Purified xylans, wheat bran, barley glume, milled maize cobs (maize spindle flour), straw and thin stillage of rye are examples of these. By this means it is possible to displace the spectrum of activity in the direction of a higher xylanase activity [see as technological background German Patent vSpecifications on 278 359 and DD 291 673; F.uropean Patent Publication (EP) 0 455 928 Al; Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 40, 224-229 (1993); as well as Enzyme & Microb. Tcchnol. 18, 495-501 (1996)]. Tn particular, this inductor effect can be achieved in a cost-effective manner using thin stillage of rye; however, thin stillage of rye shows with increasing concentrations an inhibiting effect on the growth and the enzyme formation of the respective microorganism. Surprising, it has now been found that a special pre-treatment of the thin stillage of rye used as the inductor by evaporation of water and other volatile components counteracted the aforementioned disadvantageous inhibiting activity of the native thin stillage of rye and at the same time increased the inductor activity, so that the thus-treated concentrated form of the thin stillage of rye was advantageous for use. The enzyme formation induced as a consequence of the treatment and realized during the cultivation of the microorganism (in the fermenter) gives rise to a significant change in the enzyme spectrum: the xylanolytic activity exceeds the activity of the other enzymes, i.e. the cellulolytic and glucanolytic activity, by several hundred percent: a surprising shift of the xylanase to cellulase ratio in favour of xylanase is realized. The object of the present invention is the manufacture of a xylanase-rich (and at the same time cellulase- and p-glucanase-reduced) enzyme complex by the cultivation of a xylanase-producing microorganism of the genus Trichoderma in a specific nutrient medium. This object is achieved in accordance with the invention by using in the cultivation a pre-treatcd thin stillage of rye as the agent for the induction of the xylanase formation (hereinafter denoted as "xylanase inductor") and simultaneously as the carbon source, with the pre-treatment comprising a removal of the solid constituents of the thin stillage of rye, a concentration of the non-volatile components by evaporation of water and other volatile substances as well as a subsequent autoclaving of the thin stillage of rye resulting therefrom. As xylanase-producing microorganisms of the genus Trichoderma, which can be used in the process in accordance with the invention for the manufacture of a xylanase-rich enzyme complex, there especially come into consideration Trichoderma (T) reesei mutants which are derived from the wild strain QM6a, e.g. QM 9123, QM 9414. M 18.2, M 18.2-y, Rut M-7 and Rut NG-14 (see Bland S. Montenecourt, "Trichoderma reesei ccllulases", Trends in Biotechnology, Vol. 1, No. 5, pages 156-160, 1983 and the references cited therein). vSome of the aforementioned microorganism strains have been deposited, namely QM6a: ATCC 1363 K CCM F-560, CMI45548, DSM 768; QM9123: ATCC 24449; QM 94 ] 4: ATCC 26921, CCM F-522, DSM 769; M 18.2: DSM 10683; as well as M18.2-y: DSM 7537. The microorganism strains T. reesei QM 6a, QM 9123 and QM 9414 are listed in Catalogues of International Depositary Authorities, e.g. the Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH (DSM) and/or the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), and as such are commercially available from these and other sources. The microorganism strain M 18.2 was deposited at the DSM on May 14, 1996 by Biopract GmbH, Rudower Chaussee 5, D-12489 Berlin, for long-term storage, and was allotted the deposit no. DSM 10683; on June 12, 1998 the DSM received a request from Biopract GmbH to convert the deposit into one under the Budapest Treaty. Finally, the microorgarv ism strain M 18.2-y was originally deposited on August 31, 1989 at the Zentralinstitut fiir mikrobielle und experimentelle Therapie (ZIMET) in Jena under the Budapest Treaty and allotted the deposit no. TMET 43915. On March 4, 1993 this strain was transferred to the DSM in Braunschweig and given the new deposit no. DSM 7537. Through ownership changes the microorganism strain T. reesei M 18.2-y eventually became the property of F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG. The pre-treated thin stillage of rye used in the process in accordance with the invention as the xylanase inductor and simultaneously as the carbon source originates from a thin stillage (vinasse or distillery "slops") which is obtainable from grain distilleries and which is normally considered to be a waste product. The (untreated) thin stillage of rye results in spirits production from rye in the following known manner: on the basis of rye, water and enzymes (exo- and cndoglucanases) a fermentation of the rye starch to alcohol is effected by means of yeasts over three days at about 30oC. After distillation of the alcohol the mixture largely free from rye starch remains as the thin stillage of rye. The components of the thin stillage of rye from different batches arc subject to the variations which are usual with natural products and comprise predominantly carhohy- drates (cellulose, hemicellulose, pentosans), small amounts of albumins, mineral substances and fats as well as residual amounts of ethanol and other products of yeast fermentation. The pre-treatment of the thin stillage of rye comprises essentially the removal of the solids, the concentration of the non-volatile components and the autoclaving of the concentrate obtained. These pre-treatment steps have the following preferred features: - Removal of the solid constituents of the thin stillage of rye by decantation and separation using a plate separator (e.g. of the type SA 1 Westfalia Separator AG, Oeldc, Germany). The volume of the solid-containing fraction to be discarded amounts to about 30% to about 50% of the volume of the thin stillage of rye. - Concentration of the non-volatile components of the solid-free thin stillage of rye using a vacuum rotary evaporator (e.g. of the type VUV 20-1, Schott & Gen, Jena, Germany) at a boiling temperature lying between about 4CPC and about 50oC and at the vapour pressure of the solid-free thin stillage of rye corresponding to the temperature, llnder these conditions a desired volume reduction of the solid-free thin stillage of rye by about 80% to about 90% after about 1 hour is achieved. The concentration of the non-volatile components accordingly amounts to about 1:5 to about 1:10 (about five- to about ten-fold). - Autoclaving of the concentrated, solid-free thin stillage of rye for at least about 30 minutes at about 12PC (conveniently 121 ± PC). Not only the pre-treated thin stillage of rye, but also other carbon sources come into consideration for the nutrient medium in the process in accordance with the invention, namely, inter alia, lactose, cellulose, xylans, wheat bran, glucose syrup and spray-dried corn steep liquor. Especially preferred additional carbon sources are lactose, cellulose and oat glume xvlan. As nitrogen sources for the nutrient medium there come into consideration, inter alia, ammonium sulphate [(NH4)2SO4], ammonia-water [NH3-H2O] and de-oiled soya meal (as an organic nitrogen source). The nitrogen content conveniently amounts to at least 20% based on the carbon source. Potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH2PO4) comes into consideration e.g. as the phosphorus source for the nutrient medium. The phosphorus content conveniently amounts to at least 2.5% based on the carbon source. The nutrient medium conveniently contains additional salts, and as such there come into consideration, inter alia, magnesium, iron, manganese and zinc sulphate as well as calcium and cobalt chloride. As an additional component of the nutrient there can be used, for example, an antifoam agent, e.g. M-30 (vServa Feinbiochemica, Heidelberg, Germany), Glanapon DO 102 (Bussetti, Vienna, Austria) or MAZU 8005 (Quest International, Cork, Ireland). In the process in accordance with the invention there are conveniently used about 35 to about 45 g/1, preferably about 40 g/1, of a ten-fold concentrated pre-treated thin stillage of rye based on the total volume of the culture medium. The volume of the inoculum for Trichoderma reesei conveniently amounts to about 10% of the total volume of the culture medium. The pH value for the cultivation conveniently lies in the range of about 5.5 to about 6.5, preferably at about 6.0. The adjustment of the pH value in the culture medium is conveniently effected with ammonia-water in a concentration of about 12.5% to about 25% (based on NII3). With respect to the cultivation temperature, this is conveniently about 28oC to about 34oC, preferably about 3 PC. The fermentation apparatus used can be an entirely conventional cultivation vcsse (fermenter) for which precautions have been taken to exclude foreign infections. Such cultivation vessels normally have, inter alia, a stirring arrangement and a gasification arrangement for the air supply, since the cultivation carried out in accordance with the invention is an aerobic submersed culture of the microorganism. The stirring speed and air supply arc conveniently regulated such that the oxygen content in the culture medium docs not fall below about 10% of the oxygen saturation value. Especially suitable for carrying out the process in accordance with the invention is the so-called "fed batch technique", in which the first step (batch phase) comprises a batch fermentation, followed by a substrate introduction step (fed batch phase). The batch phase serves for the cultivation of mycelium in the nutrient medium, whereby the injection (inoculation) of the fcrmenter is conveniently effected in three stages (i)-(iii): (i) rinsing of the conidia of a slanted agar culture from the stock reserve of microorganisms with sterilized tap water. The water conveniently contains an emulsifier, e.g. Tween^80 (preferably in this case in a concentration of about 1 g/1). The conidia suspension is suitably adjusted to at least 5x10 coni dia/1, especially 5 x 10 - 1 x 10 /I. (ii) Shaking flasks suitably containing known nutrient media for microorganisms of the genus Trichoderma reesei on the basis of glucose or cellulose as C-source, phosphate, nitrate, urea, peptone and trace elements [see for example R. Haapala, E. Parkkinen, P. vSuominen and S. Linko, 'Production of extracellular enzymes by immobilized Trichoderma reesei in shake flask cultures', Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 43, 815 - 821 (1995)1 are injected with the conidia suspension produced in stage (i). The ratio by volume of conidia suspension to nutrient medium is conveniently about 1:25 to about 1:50. In these shaking flasks the conidia are cultivated at about 3 PC ± TC (30 - 32oC), conveniently at about 31oC. and with a shaking frequency of about 200 to about 300 rpm, preferably about 250 rpm, up to the point at which a culture medium with well-branched mycelium has become formed. No formation of spores should he recognizable. (iii) The fermenter is injected with the culture medium produced in stage (ii), such that the ratio by volume of the culture medium to the nutrient medium in the fermenter is conveniently about 1:5 to about 1:10, preferably about 1:5. The enzyme formation takes place mainly in the subsequent fed batch phase. The addition of the substrate solution (substrate introduction), preferably of pre-treated thin stillage of rye, as the inductor, of de-oilcd soya meal or soya meal liquor as the organic nitrogen source as well as of lactose as the carbon source is suitably regulated by means of a control device or an analytically-supported process control of the specific carbon dioxide evolution of the mycelium. The substrate introduction can be controlled, for example, by means of the carbon dioxide concentration of the exhaust gas from the fermentation or can be performed according to an empirically determined time regime. In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention additional de-oiled soya meal or soya meal liquor is used as an (additional) nitrogen source. It has been established that a further increase of the xylanase production is achieved by the addition of de-oiled soya meal or of soya meal liquor to the pre-treated thin stillage of rye. Accordingly, it is assumed that the de-oiled soya meal or the soya meal liquor has the action of a xylanase inductor. The de-oiled soya meal is conveniently a commercial product of soya milling. The concentrations of the de-oiled soya meal in the culture medium are conveniently about 20 to 30 g/l nutrient medium in the batch phase and conveniently about 15 to 25 g/1 substrate solution in Ihe fed batch phase, preferably about 25 g/l and about 20 g/l, respectively. The soya meal liquor which is alternatively used is an aqueous solution of ingredients of the de-oiled soya meal. Soya meal liquor is produced by suspending de-oiled soya meal in water (about 35 g/l). The suspension is boiled for about 10 minutes and, after cooling to room temperature, the solid constituents are filtered off. The volume of the solid- free filtrate (soya meal liquor) amounts to about 80% of the volume of the soya meal suspension prior to the filtration. Soya meal liquor is used as an alternative to the de-oiled soya meal preferably in the fed hatch phase, with the volume of the soya meal liquor corresponding to the weighed amount of dc-oilcd soya meal. The separation of the enzyme complex produced in accordance witli the invention and its purification and concentration can be performed according to methods known per sc. Basic requirements for (his arc low media temperatures (about 5oC to about 15oC) and low pH values (about 4 to about 4.5) as well as aseptic conditions. The procedure conveniently involves: - Separation of the biomass from the fermentation medium by centrifugation or filtration as well as microfiltration; - concentration of the enzyme complex by ultrafiltration; - for the production of a solid enyme preparation, the concentration of the enzyme complex can be followed by a spray drying. The main field of application for the enzyme complex obtained in accordance with the invention is its utilization as a feed additive in animal feed production. The enzyme complex can be used as the non-worked up fermentation medium, as the culture filtrate, as the enzyme concentrate or as a solid preparation. The present invention is illustrated by the following Example. Example A xylanase-rich enzyme complex was manufactured using Trichoderma reesei M 18.2-y (DSM 7537) in a fed batch fermentation. For the production.of the thin stillage of rye concentrate the solid-free fraction of a thin stillage of rye was concentrated 7.5-fold under vacuum at about 50oC and autoclavcd at 12I^C for about 30 minutes. For the production of the nutrient medium for the batch phase, 1 800 ml of nutrient medium consisting of 20.8 g/1 lactose. 8.3 g/1 microcrystallinc cellulose, 25 g/1 de-oiled soya meal, 33.3 mI/1 thin stillage of rye concentrate, 3.75 g/1 KH2PO4, 6.0 g/1 (NH4)2SO4, 0.5 g/1 MgSO47H2O, 0.5 g/1 CaCl2'2H2O, 6.25 mg/1 FeSO4.7H2O, 2.0 mg/1 MnSO4.H2O, 1.75 mg/1 ZnSO4.7H2O and 2,5 mg/1 CoCl2-6H2O were autoclaved at 121oC in a 5 I fermenter for 20 minutes and adjusted to pH 6.0 with 12.5% ammonia-water. For the production of the substrate solution for the fed batch phase, 1000 ml of the substrate and inductor solution consisting of 300 g/1 lactose, 10 g/I cellulose, 500 ml/1 of soya meal liquor and 107 mI/1 thin stillage of rye concentrate were autoclaved at 12 PC for 20 minutes. (For the production of the 500 ml of soya meal liquor, 20 g of soya meal were sUvSpended in 600 ml of water; the suspension was boiled for 10 minutes and the solid content was filtered off.) In the batch phase the fermenter was inoculated with 300 ml of shaking flask pre-culture. To prepare the appropriate inoculate about 3 ml each of sterilized tap water containing 1 g/1 TWEEN®80 (polyethoxysorbitane oleate) were introduced into two slanted agar tubes from the stock reserve, and the conidia from both agar surfaces were shaken off. In the following stage three shaking flasks each containing 100 ml of nutrient medium were injected with equal volumes the conidia suspension. The nutrient medium consisted of 20 g/I of glucose, 15.0 g/I of KH2PO4, 4.8 g/1 of (NH4)2SO4, 0.3 g/1 of CaCl2.2H2O, 0.3 g/1 of MgSO4-7H2O, 5.0 mg/1 of FeSO4.7H2O,1.6 mg/1 of MnSO4.H2O, 1,4 mg/1 of ZnSO47H2O and 2.0 mg/1 of CoCl26H2O. Then the shaking flask precultures were cultivated at 31°C and a shaking frequency of about 250 rpm. The pH value of the medium was not adjusted or regulated. At the start of the cultivation the pH value was about 5, at the end about 3.5. After a cultivation period of about 28 hours the fermenter was injected with these shaking flask precultures. Then the pH value was adjusted to 6.0 with 12% ammonia-water. The oxygen content was held at about 10% of the oxygen saturation value at 31oC using stirrer cascade regulation. After cultivation for 21 hours a first CO2 maximum in the fermenter exhaust gas was exceeded, and thus the end of the batch phase had been reached. For the fed batch phase the discontinuous addition of the substrate was commenced after the CO2 content in the exhaust gas had fallen to 80% of the first maximum. Each addition led to a further CO2 maximum. The additions were effected portionwise automatically after the CO2 content in the exhaust gas had fallen to 80% of the previous maximum. The added volumes of the substrate solution corresponded to an addition of 1.5 g of lactose per litre of culture medium and of 2.0 g of lactose per litre of culture medium from 50 hours fermentation. The fermentation was ended after 72 hours by cooling to 10oC and adjusting the pH value to 4.5. The mycelium was filtered off and the residual fermentation solution was subjected to analysis. The enzyme activities in the fermentation medium were: Xylanase: 2625 U/ml β-Glucanase: 555 U/ml Carboxymethylcellulase (CMCasc): 330 U/ml The concentration of dissolved proteins in the fermentation medium amounted to 17.0 g/l. Enzyme and protein determinations The activity of the xylanase (endo-1.4-β-xylanase) was determined by incubation with a 0.5% xylan suspension (xylan from oat glume, Roth) in 40 mM sodium acetate buffer (pH 6.0) at 50oC for 20 minutes. One unit (U) of xylanase released 1 mol of xylose per minute. The activity of the P-glucanasc (cndo-l,3-l,4-P-glucanase) was determined by incubation with a 0.5% lichenin suspension (lichenin, Carl Roth GmbH, Karlsruhe, Germany) in 40 mM sodium acetate buffer (pH 6.0) at 50^C for 20 minutes. The activity of the CMCasc (endo-l .4-P-gIucanase) was determined by incubation with a 2.0% solution of carboxymcthylccllulose sodium salt (Carl Roth GmbH) in 40 mM sodium acetate buffer (pH 6.0) at 50oC for 20 minutes. One unit (U) of β-glucanase or CMCasc released 1 mol of glucose per minute. The protein determination was carried out following a protein precipitation (addition of trichloroacetic acid) using a modified method according to Lowry based on bicinchonic acid: Sigma Procedure No. TPRO-562 (Sigma Chemical Co., St. Louis, USA) The present invention is concerned with a fermentative process for the manufacture of xylanase-rich enzyme complexes using pre-treated thin stillage of rye as an inductor for (he xyianase formation. As is known, xyianase is the term for an enzyme which is assigned to the hemicellulases and which hydrolyzes xylans (or "wood gums") to xylose and other sugars. The enzyme is also known as endo-l,4-P-D-xylanase or 1,4-P-D-xylan xylanohydrolase and belongs to the EC 3.2.1.8 enzyme class, Xylans themselves, which are polysaccaridcs from 1,4-3-glycoside-linked D-xylopyranoses with short side-chains of different composition and which also contain arabinose, glucose, galactose and/or glucuronic acid as well as acetyl and methyl groups in the molecule, are components of many deciduous and coniferous trees as well as of cereals, bran, pectin, tragacanth, plant gums etc. Having regard to their presence in wood, xylans belong to the widest variety of natural materials. In view of their structural diversity, the complete degradation of branched, partially acctylated xylans requires the action of a variety of xylanases, by which the xylans are hydrolyzed to xylose and other sugars. This mode of action of xylanases is complex and is always realized in conjunction with other (to some extent synergistically acting) enzymes. Xylanases are formed by fungi, e.g. Trichoderma, Penicillium, Aspergillus, Talaromyces and Sporofrichtmi, and bacteria, e.g. Clostridium, Cellulomonas, Bacillus, Thermononspora and Ruminococcus. They are used in the cellulose industry primarily as bleaching and improving agents and recently in the manufacture of animal feed. With respect to the latter field of application, investigations concerning the use of exogenous enzymes, e.g. of xylanases, in feeds containing rye, barley or triticale point to a favourable influence of the respective preparations on the reduction of the antinutritivc action of the non-starch polysaccharides and to an improved digestibility and absorption of the nutrients in the intestine of the animal. The most important group of enzymes, which nowadays is used especially in broiler rearing, consists just of those enzymes which can hvdrolyzc the non-starch polysaccharides present in cereal types such as, barley, wheat and rye. Several preparations containing such enzymes are already on the market, such as, for example, Roxazyme® G (Roche), which contains cellulase, P-glucanase and xylanase as the main enzymes. Such preparations are admixed with the animal feed because of the aforementioned advantages in animal feeding; the xylanase-rich enzyme complexes manufactured in accordance with the invention serve as very UvSeful materials for the production of these preparations. The use of xylanase as a feed additive in poultry nutrition represents an important field of application, with, for example, a substantially increased nutritive value of broiler feed being produced compared with that which is achieved with energy-poor cereal types, such as barley, oats, rye and triticale, without such a feed additive [see Mh. Vet.-Med. 48, 213-217 (1993) and the references cited therein]. As mentioned above, the present invention is concerned with a process for the manufacture of said enzyme complexes, namely by cultivation of a xylanase-producing microorganism of the genus Trichoderma in a nutrient medium, which basically contains carbon sources, nitrogen sources and particular salts, and isolation from the nutrient medium of the xylanase-rich (and at the same time cellulase- as well as P-glucanase-reduced) enzyme complex which is formed. In particular, microorganisms of the genus Trichoderma are effective as formers of polysaccharolytic activity with clear preference for cellulolytic (i.e. the activity is preferably directed towards the degradation of cellulose). Many attempts have been made to change this spectrum of activity, inter alia with the object of selectively increasing the xylanolytic activity. To this end, xylan-containing substances have been added to the nutrient medium (fermentation medium) in order to achieve an induction of the xylanase formation. Purified xylans, wheat bran, barley glume, milled maize cobs (maize spindle flour), straw and thin stillage of rye are examples of these. By this means it is possible to displace the spectrum of activity in the direction of a higher xylanase activity [see as technological background German Patent vSpecifications on 278 359 and DD 291 673; F.uropean Patent Publication (EP) 0 455 928 Al; Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 40, 224-229 (1993); as well as Enzyme & Microb. Tcchnol. 18, 495-501 (1996)]. Tn particular, this inductor effect can be achieved in a cost-effective manner using thin stillage of rye; however, thin stillage of rye shows with increasing concentrations an inhibiting effect on the growth and the enzyme formation of the respective microorganism. Surprising, it has now been found that a special pre-treatment of the thin stillage of rye used as the inductor by evaporation of water and other volatile components counteracted the aforementioned disadvantageous inhibiting activity of the native thin stillage of rye and at the same time increased the inductor activity, so that the thus-treated concentrated form of the thin stillage of rye was advantageous for use. The enzyme formation induced as a consequence of the treatment and realized during the cultivation of the microorganism (in the fermenter) gives rise to a significant change in the enzyme spectrum: the xylanolytic activity exceeds the activity of the other enzymes, i.e. the cellulolytic and glucanolytic activity, by several hundred percent: a surprising shift of the xylanase to cellulase ratio in favour of xylanase is realized. The object of the present invention is the manufacture of a xylanase-rich (and at the same time cellulase- and p-glucanase-reduced) enzyme complex by the cultivation of a xylanase-producing microorganism of the genus Trichoderma in a specific nutrient medium. This object is achieved in accordance with the invention by using in the cultivation a pre-treatcd thin stillage of rye as the agent for the induction of the xylanase formation (hereinafter denoted as "xylanase inductor") and simultaneously as the carbon source, with the pre-treatment comprising a removal of the solid constituents of the thin stillage of rye, a concentration of the non-volatile components by evaporation of water and other volatile substances as well as a subsequent autoclaving of the thin stillage of rye resulting therefrom. As xylanase-producing microorganisms of the genus Trichoderma, which can be used in the process in accordance with the invention for the manufacture of a xylanase-rich enzyme complex, there especially come into consideration Trichoderma (T) reesei mutants which are derived from the wild strain QM6a, e.g. QM 9123, QM 9414. M 18.2, M 18.2-y, Rut M-7 and Rut NG-14 (see Bland S. Montenecourt, "Trichoderma reesei ccllulases", Trends in Biotechnology, Vol. 1, No. 5, pages 156-160, 1983 and the references cited therein). vSome of the aforementioned microorganism strains have been deposited, namely QM6a: ATCC 1363 K CCM F-560, CMI45548, DSM 768; QM9123: ATCC 24449; QM 94 ] 4: ATCC 26921, CCM F-522, DSM 769; M 18.2: DSM 10683; as well as M18.2-y: DSM 7537. The microorganism strains T. reesei QM 6a, QM 9123 and QM 9414 are listed in Catalogues of International Depositary Authorities, e.g. the Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH (DSM) and/or the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), and as such are commercially available from these and other sources. The microorganism strain M 18.2 was deposited at the DSM on May 14, 1996 by Biopract GmbH, Rudower Chaussee 5, D-12489 Berlin, for long-term storage, and was allotted the deposit no. DSM 10683; on June 12, 1998 the DSM received a request from Biopract GmbH to convert the deposit into one under the Budapest Treaty. Finally, the microorgarv ism strain M 18.2-y was originally deposited on August 31, 1989 at the Zentralinstitut fiir mikrobielle und experimentelle Therapie (ZIMET) in Jena under the Budapest Treaty and allotted the deposit no. TMET 43915. On March 4, 1993 this strain was transferred to the DSM in Braunschweig and given the new deposit no. DSM 7537. Through ownership changes the microorganism strain T. reesei M 18.2-y eventually became the property of F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG. The pre-treated thin stillage of rye used in the process in accordance with the invention as the xylanase inductor and simultaneously as the carbon source originates from a thin stillage (vinasse or distillery "slops") which is obtainable from grain distilleries and which is normally considered to be a waste product. The (untreated) thin stillage of rye results in spirits production from rye in the following known manner: on the basis of rye, water and enzymes (exo- and cndoglucanases) a fermentation of the rye starch to alcohol is effected by means of yeasts over three days at about 30oC. After distillation of the alcohol the mixture largely free from rye starch remains as the thin stillage of rye. The components of the thin stillage of rye from different batches arc subject to the variations which are usual with natural products and comprise predominantly carhohy- drates (cellulose, hemicellulose, pentosans), small amounts of albumins, mineral substances and fats as well as residual amounts of ethanol and other products of yeast fermentation. The pre-treatment of the thin stillage of rye comprises essentially the removal of the solids, the concentration of the non-volatile components and the autoclaving of the concentrate obtained. These pre-treatment steps have the following preferred features: - Removal of the solid constituents of the thin stillage of rye by decantation and separation using a plate separator (e.g. of the type SA 1 Westfalia Separator AG, Oeldc, Germany). The volume of the solid-containing fraction to be discarded amounts to about 30% to about 50% of the volume of the thin stillage of rye. - Concentration of the non-volatile components of the solid-free thin stillage of rye using a vacuum rotary evaporator (e.g. of the type VUV 20-1, Schott & Gen, Jena, Germany) at a boiling temperature lying between about 4CPC and about 50oC and at the vapour pressure of the solid-free thin stillage of rye corresponding to the temperature, llnder these conditions a desired volume reduction of the solid-free thin stillage of rye by about 80% to about 90% after about 1 hour is achieved. The concentration of the non-volatile components accordingly amounts to about 1:5 to about 1:10 (about five- to about ten-fold). - Autoclaving of the concentrated, solid-free thin stillage of rye for at least about 30 minutes at about 12PC (conveniently 121 ± PC). Not only the pre-treated thin stillage of rye, but also other carbon sources come into consideration for the nutrient medium in the process in accordance with the invention, namely, inter alia, lactose, cellulose, xylans, wheat bran, glucose syrup and spray-dried corn steep liquor. Especially preferred additional carbon sources are lactose, cellulose and oat glume xvlan. As nitrogen sources for the nutrient medium there come into consideration, inter alia, ammonium sulphate [(NH4)2SO4], ammonia-water [NH3-H2O] and de-oiled soya meal (as an organic nitrogen source). The nitrogen content conveniently amounts to at least 20% based on the carbon source. Potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH2PO4) comes into consideration e.g. as the phosphorus source for the nutrient medium. The phosphorus content conveniently amounts to at least 2.5% based on the carbon source. The nutrient medium conveniently contains additional salts, and as such there come into consideration, inter alia, magnesium, iron, manganese and zinc sulphate as well as calcium and cobalt chloride. As an additional component of the nutrient there can be used, for example, an antifoam agent, e.g. M-30 (vServa Feinbiochemica, Heidelberg, Germany), Glanapon DO 102 (Bussetti, Vienna, Austria) or MAZU 8005 (Quest International, Cork, Ireland). In the process in accordance with the invention there are conveniently used about 35 to about 45 g/1, preferably about 40 g/1, of a ten-fold concentrated pre-treated thin stillage of rye based on the total volume of the culture medium. The volume of the inoculum for Trichoderma reesei conveniently amounts to about 10% of the total volume of the culture medium. The pH value for the cultivation conveniently lies in the range of about 5.5 to about 6.5, preferably at about 6.0. The adjustment of the pH value in the culture medium is conveniently effected with ammonia-water in a concentration of about 12.5% to about 25% (based on NII3). With respect to the cultivation temperature, this is conveniently about 28oC to about 34oC, preferably about 3 PC. The fermentation apparatus used can be an entirely conventional cultivation vcsse (fermenter) for which precautions have been taken to exclude foreign infections. Such cultivation vessels normally have, inter alia, a stirring arrangement and a gasification arrangement for the air supply, since the cultivation carried out in accordance with the invention is an aerobic submersed culture of the microorganism. The stirring speed and air supply arc conveniently regulated such that the oxygen content in the culture medium docs not fall below about 10% of the oxygen saturation value. Especially suitable for carrying out the process in accordance with the invention is the so-called "fed batch technique", in which the first step (batch phase) comprises a batch fermentation, followed by a substrate introduction step (fed batch phase). The batch phase serves for the cultivation of mycelium in the nutrient medium, whereby the injection (inoculation) of the fcrmenter is conveniently effected in three stages (i)-(iii): (i) rinsing of the conidia of a slanted agar culture from the stock reserve of microorganisms with sterilized tap water. The water conveniently contains an emulsifier, e.g. Tween^80 (preferably in this case in a concentration of about 1 g/1). The conidia suspension is suitably adjusted to at least 5x10 coni dia/1, especially 5 x 10 - 1 x 10 /I. (ii) Shaking flasks suitably containing known nutrient media for microorganisms of the genus Trichoderma reesei on the basis of glucose or cellulose as C-source, phosphate, nitrate, urea, peptone and trace elements [see for example R. Haapala, E. Parkkinen, P. vSuominen and S. Linko, 'Production of extracellular enzymes by immobilized Trichoderma reesei in shake flask cultures', Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 43, 815 - 821 (1995)1 are injected with the conidia suspension produced in stage (i). The ratio by volume of conidia suspension to nutrient medium is conveniently about 1:25 to about 1:50. In these shaking flasks the conidia are cultivated at about 3 PC ± TC (30 - 32oC), conveniently at about 31oC. and with a shaking frequency of about 200 to about 300 rpm, preferably about 250 rpm, up to the point at which a culture medium with well-branched mycelium has become formed. No formation of spores should he recognizable. (iii) The fermenter is injected with the culture medium produced in stage (ii), such that the ratio by volume of the culture medium to the nutrient medium in the fermenter is conveniently about 1:5 to about 1:10, preferably about 1:5. The enzyme formation takes place mainly in the subsequent fed batch phase. The addition of the substrate solution (substrate introduction), preferably of pre-treated thin stillage of rye, as the inductor, of de-oilcd soya meal or soya meal liquor as the organic nitrogen source as well as of lactose as the carbon source is suitably regulated by means of a control device or an analytically-supported process control of the specific carbon dioxide evolution of the mycelium. The substrate introduction can be controlled, for example, by means of the carbon dioxide concentration of the exhaust gas from the fermentation or can be performed according to an empirically determined time regime. In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention additional de-oiled soya meal or soya meal liquor is used as an (additional) nitrogen source. It has been established that a further increase of the xylanase production is achieved by the addition of de-oiled soya meal or of soya meal liquor to the pre-treated thin stillage of rye. Accordingly, it is assumed that the de-oiled soya meal or the soya meal liquor has the action of a xylanase inductor. The de-oiled soya meal is conveniently a commercial product of soya milling. The concentrations of the de-oiled soya meal in the culture medium are conveniently about 20 to 30 g/l nutrient medium in the batch phase and conveniently about 15 to 25 g/1 substrate solution in Ihe fed batch phase, preferably about 25 g/l and about 20 g/l, respectively. The soya meal liquor which is alternatively used is an aqueous solution of ingredients of the de-oiled soya meal. Soya meal liquor is produced by suspending de-oiled soya meal in water (about 35 g/l). The suspension is boiled for about 10 minutes and, after cooling to room temperature, the solid constituents are filtered off. The volume of the solid- free filtrate (soya meal liquor) amounts to about 80% of the volume of the soya meal suspension prior to the filtration. Soya meal liquor is used as an alternative to the de-oiled soya meal preferably in the fed hatch phase, with the volume of the soya meal liquor corresponding to the weighed amount of dc-oilcd soya meal. The separation of the enzyme complex produced in accordance witli the invention and its purification and concentration can be performed according to methods known per sc. Basic requirements for (his arc low media temperatures (about 5oC to about 15oC) and low pH values (about 4 to about 4.5) as well as aseptic conditions. The procedure conveniently involves: - Separation of the biomass from the fermentation medium by centrifugation or filtration as well as microfiltration; - concentration of the enzyme complex by ultrafiltration; - for the production of a solid enyme preparation, the concentration of the enzyme complex can be followed by a spray drying. The main field of application for the enzyme complex obtained in accordance with the invention is its utilization as a feed additive in animal feed production. The enzyme complex can be used as the non-worked up fermentation medium, as the culture filtrate, as the enzyme concentrate or as a solid preparation. The present invention is illustrated by the following Example. Example A xylanase-rich enzyme complex was manufactured using Trichoderma reesei M 18.2-y (DSM 7537) in a fed batch fermentation. For the production.of the thin stillage of rye concentrate the solid-free fraction of a thin stillage of rye was concentrated 7.5-fold under vacuum at about 50oC and autoclavcd at 12I^C for about 30 minutes. For the production of the nutrient medium for the batch phase, 1 800 ml of nutrient medium consisting of 20.8 g/1 lactose. 8.3 g/1 microcrystallinc cellulose, 25 g/1 de-oiled soya meal, 33.3 mI/1 thin stillage of rye concentrate, 3.75 g/1 KH2PO4, 6.0 g/1 (NH4)2SO4, 0.5 g/1 MgSO47H2O, 0.5 g/1 CaCl2'2H2O, 6.25 mg/1 FeSO4.7H2O, 2.0 mg/1 MnSO4.H2O, 1.75 mg/1 ZnSO4.7H2O and 2,5 mg/1 CoCl2-6H2O were autoclaved at 121oC in a 5 I fermenter for 20 minutes and adjusted to pH 6.0 with 12.5% ammonia-water. For the production of the substrate solution for the fed batch phase, 1000 ml of the substrate and inductor solution consisting of 300 g/1 lactose, 10 g/I cellulose, 500 ml/1 of soya meal liquor and 107 mI/1 thin stillage of rye concentrate were autoclaved at 12 PC for 20 minutes. (For the production of the 500 ml of soya meal liquor, 20 g of soya meal were sUvSpended in 600 ml of water; the suspension was boiled for 10 minutes and the solid content was filtered off.) In the batch phase the fermenter was inoculated with 300 ml of shaking flask pre-culture. To prepare the appropriate inoculate about 3 ml each of sterilized tap water containing 1 g/1 TWEEN®80 (polyethoxysorbitane oleate) were introduced into two slanted agar tubes from the stock reserve, and the conidia from both agar surfaces were shaken off. In the following stage three shaking flasks each containing 100 ml of nutrient medium were injected with equal volumes the conidia suspension. The nutrient medium consisted of 20 g/I of glucose, 15.0 g/I of KH2PO4, 4.8 g/1 of (NH4)2SO4, 0.3 g/1 of CaCl2.2H2O, 0.3 g/1 of MgSO4-7H2O, 5.0 mg/1 of FeSO4.7H2O,1.6 mg/1 of MnSO4.H2O, 1,4 mg/1 of ZnSO47H2O and 2.0 mg/1 of CoCl26H2O. Then the shaking flask precultures were cultivated at 31°C and a shaking frequency of about 250 rpm. The pH value of the medium was not adjusted or regulated. At the start of the cultivation the pH value was about 5, at the end about 3.5. After a cultivation period of about 28 hours the fermenter was injected with these shaking flask precultures. Then the pH value was adjusted to 6.0 with 12% ammonia-water. The oxygen content was held at about 10% of the oxygen saturation value at 31oC using stirrer cascade regulation. After cultivation for 21 hours a first CO2 maximum in the fermenter exhaust gas was exceeded, and thus the end of the batch phase had been reached. For the fed batch phase the discontinuous addition of the substrate was commenced after the CO2 content in the exhaust gas had fallen to 80% of the first maximum. Each addition led to a further CO2 maximum. The additions were effected portionwise automatically after the CO2 content in the exhaust gas had fallen to 80% of the previous maximum. The added volumes of the substrate solution corresponded to an addition of 1.5 g of lactose per litre of culture medium and of 2.0 g of lactose per litre of culture medium from 50 hours fermentation. The fermentation was ended after 72 hours by cooling to 10oC and adjusting the pH value to 4.5. The mycelium was filtered off and the residual fermentation solution was subjected to analysis. The enzyme activities in the fermentation medium were: Xylanase: 2625 U/ml β-Glucanase: 555 U/ml Carboxymethylcellulase (CMCasc): 330 U/ml The concentration of dissolved proteins in the fermentation medium amounted to 17.0 g/l. Enzyme and protein determinations The activity of the xylanase (endo-1.4-β-xylanase) was determined by incubation with a 0.5% xylan suspension (xylan from oat glume, Roth) in 40 mM sodium acetate buffer (pH 6.0) at 50oC for 20 minutes. One unit (U) of xylanase released 1 mol of xylose per minute. The activity of the P-glucanasc (cndo-l,3-l,4-P-glucanase) was determined by incubation with a 0.5% lichenin suspension (lichenin, Carl Roth GmbH, Karlsruhe, Germany) in 40 mM sodium acetate buffer (pH 6.0) at 50^C for 20 minutes. The activity of the CMCasc (endo-l .4-P-gIucanase) was determined by incubation with a 2.0% solution of carboxymcthylccllulose sodium salt (Carl Roth GmbH) in 40 mM sodium acetate buffer (pH 6.0) at 50oC for 20 minutes. One unit (U) of β-glucanase or CMCasc released 1 mol of glucose per minute. The protein determination was carried out following a protein precipitation (addition of trichloroacetic acid) using a modified method according to Lowry based on bicinchonic acid: Sigma Procedure No. TPRO-562 (Sigma Chemical Co., St. Louis, USA)

Full Text

The present invention is concerned with a fermentative process for the manufacture of xylanase-rich enzyme complexes using pre-treated thin stillage of rye as an inductor for (he xyianase formation.
As is known, xyianase is the term for an enzyme which is assigned to the hemicellulases and which hydrolyzes xylans (or "wood gums") to xylose and other sugars. The enzyme is also known as endo-l,4-P-D-xylanase or 1,4-P-D-xylan xylanohydrolase and belongs to the EC 3.2.1.8 enzyme class, Xylans themselves, which are polysaccaridcs from 1,4-3-glycoside-linked D-xylopyranoses with short side-chains of different composition and which also contain arabinose, glucose, galactose and/or glucuronic acid as well as acetyl and methyl groups in the molecule, are components of many deciduous and coniferous trees as well as of cereals, bran, pectin, tragacanth, plant gums etc. Having regard to their presence in wood, xylans belong to the widest variety of natural materials. In view of their structural diversity, the complete degradation of branched, partially acctylated xylans requires the action of a variety of xylanases, by which the xylans are hydrolyzed to xylose and other sugars. This mode of action of xylanases is complex and is always realized in conjunction with other (to some extent synergistically acting) enzymes.
Xylanases are formed by fungi, e.g. Trichoderma, Penicillium, Aspergillus, Talaromyces and Sporofrichtmi, and bacteria, e.g. Clostridium, Cellulomonas, Bacillus, Thermononspora and Ruminococcus. They are used in the cellulose industry primarily as bleaching and improving agents and recently in the manufacture of animal feed. With respect to the latter field of application, investigations concerning the use of exogenous enzymes, e.g. of xylanases, in feeds containing rye, barley or triticale point to a favourable influence of the respective preparations on the reduction of the antinutritivc action of the non-starch polysaccharides and to an improved digestibility and absorption of the nutrients in the intestine of the animal. The most important group of enzymes, which nowadays is used especially in broiler rearing, consists just of those enzymes which can hvdrolyzc the non-starch polysaccharides present in cereal types such as, barley, wheat and rye. Several

preparations containing such enzymes are already on the market, such as, for example, Roxazyme® G (Roche), which contains cellulase, P-glucanase and xylanase as the main enzymes. Such preparations are admixed with the animal feed because of the aforementioned advantages in animal feeding; the xylanase-rich enzyme complexes manufactured in accordance with the invention serve as very UvSeful materials for the production of these preparations. The use of xylanase as a feed additive in poultry nutrition represents an important field of application, with, for example, a substantially increased nutritive value of broiler feed being produced compared with that which is achieved with energy-poor cereal types, such as barley, oats, rye and triticale, without such a feed additive [see Mh. Vet.-Med. 48, 213-217 (1993) and the references cited therein].
As mentioned above, the present invention is concerned with a process for the manufacture of said enzyme complexes, namely by cultivation of a xylanase-producing microorganism of the genus Trichoderma in a nutrient medium, which basically contains carbon sources, nitrogen sources and particular salts, and isolation from the nutrient medium of the xylanase-rich (and at the same time cellulase- as well as P-glucanase-reduced) enzyme complex which is formed. In particular, microorganisms of the genus Trichoderma are effective as formers of polysaccharolytic activity with clear preference for cellulolytic (i.e. the activity is preferably directed towards the degradation of cellulose). Many attempts have been made to change this spectrum of activity, inter alia with the object of selectively increasing the xylanolytic activity. To this end, xylan-containing substances have been added to the nutrient medium (fermentation medium) in order to achieve an induction of the xylanase formation. Purified xylans, wheat bran, barley glume, milled maize cobs (maize spindle flour), straw and thin stillage of rye are examples of these. By this means it is possible to displace the spectrum of activity in the direction of a higher xylanase activity [see as technological background German Patent vSpecifications on 278 359 and DD 291 673; F.uropean Patent Publication (EP) 0 455 928 Al; Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 40, 224-229 (1993); as well as Enzyme & Microb. Tcchnol. 18, 495-501 (1996)]. Tn particular, this inductor effect can be achieved in a cost-effective manner using thin stillage of rye; however, thin stillage of rye shows with increasing concentrations an inhibiting effect on the growth and the enzyme formation of the respective microorganism.

Surprising, it has now been found that a special pre-treatment of the thin stillage of rye used as the inductor by evaporation of water and other volatile components counteracted the aforementioned disadvantageous inhibiting activity of the native thin stillage of rye and at the same time increased the inductor activity, so that the thus-treated concentrated form of the thin stillage of rye was advantageous for use. The enzyme formation induced as a consequence of the treatment and realized during the cultivation of the microorganism (in the fermenter) gives rise to a significant change in the enzyme spectrum: the xylanolytic activity exceeds the activity of the other enzymes, i.e. the cellulolytic and glucanolytic activity, by several hundred percent: a surprising shift of the xylanase to cellulase ratio in favour of xylanase is realized.
The object of the present invention is the manufacture of a xylanase-rich (and at the same time cellulase- and p-glucanase-reduced) enzyme complex by the cultivation of a xylanase-producing microorganism of the genus Trichoderma in a specific nutrient medium.
This object is achieved in accordance with the invention by using in the cultivation a pre-treatcd thin stillage of rye as the agent for the induction of the xylanase formation (hereinafter denoted as "xylanase inductor") and simultaneously as the carbon source, with the pre-treatment comprising a removal of the solid constituents of the thin stillage of rye, a concentration of the non-volatile components by evaporation of water and other volatile substances as well as a subsequent autoclaving of the thin stillage of rye resulting therefrom.
As xylanase-producing microorganisms of the genus Trichoderma, which can be used in the process in accordance with the invention for the manufacture of a xylanase-rich enzyme complex, there especially come into consideration Trichoderma (T) reesei mutants which are derived from the wild strain QM6a, e.g. QM 9123, QM 9414. M 18.2, M 18.2-y, Rut M-7 and Rut NG-14 (see Bland S. Montenecourt, "Trichoderma reesei ccllulases", Trends in Biotechnology, Vol. 1, No. 5, pages 156-160, 1983 and the references cited therein).
vSome of the aforementioned microorganism strains have been deposited, namely

QM6a: ATCC 1363 K CCM F-560, CMI45548, DSM 768;
QM9123: ATCC 24449;
QM 94 ] 4: ATCC 26921, CCM F-522, DSM 769;
M 18.2: DSM 10683; as well as
M18.2-y: DSM 7537.
The microorganism strains T. reesei QM 6a, QM 9123 and QM 9414 are listed in Catalogues of International Depositary Authorities, e.g. the Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH (DSM) and/or the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), and as such are commercially available from these and other sources. The microorganism strain M 18.2 was deposited at the DSM on May 14, 1996 by Biopract GmbH, Rudower Chaussee 5, D-12489 Berlin, for long-term storage, and was allotted the deposit no. DSM 10683; on June 12, 1998 the DSM received a request from Biopract GmbH to convert the deposit into one under the Budapest Treaty. Finally, the microorgarv ism strain M 18.2-y was originally deposited on August 31, 1989 at the Zentralinstitut fiir mikrobielle und experimentelle Therapie (ZIMET) in Jena under the Budapest Treaty and allotted the deposit no. TMET 43915. On March 4, 1993 this strain was transferred to the DSM in Braunschweig and given the new deposit no. DSM 7537. Through ownership changes the microorganism strain T. reesei M 18.2-y eventually became the property of F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG.
The pre-treated thin stillage of rye used in the process in accordance with the invention as the xylanase inductor and simultaneously as the carbon source originates from a thin stillage (vinasse or distillery "slops") which is obtainable from grain distilleries and which is normally considered to be a waste product. The (untreated) thin stillage of rye results in spirits production from rye in the following known manner: on the basis of rye, water and enzymes (exo- and cndoglucanases) a fermentation of the rye starch to alcohol is
effected by means of yeasts over three days at about 30oC. After distillation of the alcohol the mixture largely free from rye starch remains as the thin stillage of rye.
The components of the thin stillage of rye from different batches arc subject to the variations which are usual with natural products and comprise predominantly carhohy-

drates (cellulose, hemicellulose, pentosans), small amounts of albumins, mineral substances and fats as well as residual amounts of ethanol and other products of yeast fermentation.
The pre-treatment of the thin stillage of rye comprises essentially the removal of the solids, the concentration of the non-volatile components and the autoclaving of the concentrate obtained. These pre-treatment steps have the following preferred features:
- Removal of the solid constituents of the thin stillage of rye by decantation and separation using a plate separator (e.g. of the type SA 1 Westfalia Separator AG, Oeldc, Germany). The volume of the solid-containing fraction to be discarded amounts to about 30% to about 50% of the volume of the thin stillage of rye.
- Concentration of the non-volatile components of the solid-free thin stillage of rye using a vacuum rotary evaporator (e.g. of the type VUV 20-1, Schott & Gen, Jena,
Germany) at a boiling temperature lying between about 4CPC and about 50oC and at the vapour pressure of the solid-free thin stillage of rye corresponding to the temperature, llnder these conditions a desired volume reduction of the solid-free thin stillage of rye by about 80% to about 90% after about 1 hour is achieved. The concentration of the non-volatile components accordingly amounts to about 1:5 to about 1:10 (about five- to about ten-fold).
- Autoclaving of the concentrated, solid-free thin stillage of rye for at least about
30 minutes at about 12PC (conveniently 121 ± PC).
Not only the pre-treated thin stillage of rye, but also other carbon sources come into consideration for the nutrient medium in the process in accordance with the invention, namely, inter alia, lactose, cellulose, xylans, wheat bran, glucose syrup and spray-dried corn steep liquor.
Especially preferred additional carbon sources are lactose, cellulose and oat glume xvlan.

As nitrogen sources for the nutrient medium there come into consideration, inter alia, ammonium sulphate [(NH4)2SO4], ammonia-water [NH3-H2O] and de-oiled soya
meal (as an organic nitrogen source). The nitrogen content conveniently amounts to at least 20% based on the carbon source.
Potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH2PO4) comes into consideration e.g. as the
phosphorus source for the nutrient medium. The phosphorus content conveniently amounts to at least 2.5% based on the carbon source.
The nutrient medium conveniently contains additional salts, and as such there come into consideration, inter alia, magnesium, iron, manganese and zinc sulphate as well as calcium and cobalt chloride.
As an additional component of the nutrient there can be used, for example, an antifoam agent, e.g. M-30 (vServa Feinbiochemica, Heidelberg, Germany), Glanapon DO 102 (Bussetti, Vienna, Austria) or MAZU 8005 (Quest International, Cork, Ireland).
In the process in accordance with the invention there are conveniently used about 35 to about 45 g/1, preferably about 40 g/1, of a ten-fold concentrated pre-treated thin stillage of rye based on the total volume of the culture medium. The volume of the inoculum for Trichoderma reesei conveniently amounts to about 10% of the total volume of the culture medium.
The pH value for the cultivation conveniently lies in the range of about 5.5 to about 6.5, preferably at about 6.0. The adjustment of the pH value in the culture medium is conveniently effected with ammonia-water in a concentration of about 12.5% to about 25% (based on NII3).
With respect to the cultivation temperature, this is conveniently about 28oC to about 34oC, preferably about 3 PC.
The fermentation apparatus used can be an entirely conventional cultivation vcsse (fermenter) for which precautions have been taken to exclude foreign infections. Such

cultivation vessels normally have, inter alia, a stirring arrangement and a gasification arrangement for the air supply, since the cultivation carried out in accordance with the invention is an aerobic submersed culture of the microorganism. The stirring speed and air supply arc conveniently regulated such that the oxygen content in the culture medium docs not fall below about 10% of the oxygen saturation value.
Especially suitable for carrying out the process in accordance with the invention is the so-called "fed batch technique", in which the first step (batch phase) comprises a batch fermentation, followed by a substrate introduction step (fed batch phase).
The batch phase serves for the cultivation of mycelium in the nutrient medium, whereby the injection (inoculation) of the fcrmenter is conveniently effected in three stages
(i)-(iii):
(i) rinsing of the conidia of a slanted agar culture from the stock reserve of microorganisms with sterilized tap water. The water conveniently contains an emulsifier, e.g. Tween^80
(preferably in this case in a concentration of about 1 g/1). The conidia suspension is suitably adjusted to at least 5x10 coni dia/1, especially 5 x 10 - 1 x 10 /I.
(ii) Shaking flasks suitably containing known nutrient media for microorganisms of the genus Trichoderma reesei on the basis of glucose or cellulose as C-source, phosphate, nitrate, urea, peptone and trace elements [see for example R. Haapala, E. Parkkinen, P. vSuominen and S. Linko, 'Production of extracellular enzymes by immobilized Trichoderma reesei in shake flask cultures', Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 43, 815 - 821 (1995)1 are injected with the conidia suspension produced in stage (i). The ratio by volume of conidia suspension to nutrient medium is conveniently about 1:25 to about 1:50. In these shaking flasks the conidia are cultivated at about 3 PC ± TC (30 - 32oC), conveniently at about 31oC. and with a shaking frequency of about 200 to about 300 rpm, preferably about 250 rpm, up to the point at which a culture medium with well-branched mycelium has become formed. No formation of spores should he recognizable.

(iii) The fermenter is injected with the culture medium produced in stage (ii), such that the ratio by volume of the culture medium to the nutrient medium in the fermenter is conveniently about 1:5 to about 1:10, preferably about 1:5.
The enzyme formation takes place mainly in the subsequent fed batch phase. The addition of the substrate solution (substrate introduction), preferably of pre-treated thin stillage of rye, as the inductor, of de-oilcd soya meal or soya meal liquor as the organic nitrogen source as well as of lactose as the carbon source is suitably regulated by means of a control device or an analytically-supported process control of the specific carbon dioxide evolution of the mycelium. The substrate introduction can be controlled, for example, by means of the carbon dioxide concentration of the exhaust gas from the fermentation or can be performed according to an empirically determined time regime.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention additional de-oiled soya meal or soya meal liquor is used as an (additional) nitrogen source. It has been established that a further increase of the xylanase production is achieved by the addition of de-oiled soya meal or of soya meal liquor to the pre-treated thin stillage of rye. Accordingly, it is assumed that the de-oiled soya meal or the soya meal liquor has the action of a xylanase inductor.
The de-oiled soya meal is conveniently a commercial product of soya milling. The concentrations of the de-oiled soya meal in the culture medium are conveniently about 20 to 30 g/l nutrient medium in the batch phase and conveniently about 15 to 25 g/1 substrate solution in Ihe fed batch phase, preferably about 25 g/l and about 20 g/l, respectively.
The soya meal liquor which is alternatively used is an aqueous solution of ingredients of the de-oiled soya meal. Soya meal liquor is produced by suspending de-oiled soya meal in water (about 35 g/l). The suspension is boiled for about 10 minutes and, after cooling to room temperature, the solid constituents are filtered off. The volume of the solid- free filtrate (soya meal liquor) amounts to about 80% of the volume of the soya meal suspension prior to the filtration. Soya meal liquor is used as an alternative to the de-oiled soya meal preferably in the fed hatch phase, with the volume of the soya meal liquor corresponding to the weighed amount of dc-oilcd soya meal.

The separation of the enzyme complex produced in accordance witli the invention and its purification and concentration can be performed according to methods known per
sc. Basic requirements for (his arc low media temperatures (about 5oC to about 15oC) and low pH values (about 4 to about 4.5) as well as aseptic conditions. The procedure conveniently involves:
- Separation of the biomass from the fermentation medium by centrifugation or filtration as well as microfiltration;
- concentration of the enzyme complex by ultrafiltration;
- for the production of a solid enyme preparation, the concentration of the enzyme complex can be followed by a spray drying.
The main field of application for the enzyme complex obtained in accordance with the invention is its utilization as a feed additive in animal feed production. The enzyme complex can be used as the non-worked up fermentation medium, as the culture filtrate, as the enzyme concentrate or as a solid preparation.
The present invention is illustrated by the following Example.
Example
A xylanase-rich enzyme complex was manufactured using Trichoderma reesei M 18.2-y (DSM 7537) in a fed batch fermentation.
For the production.of the thin stillage of rye concentrate the solid-free fraction of a
thin stillage of rye was concentrated 7.5-fold under vacuum at about 50oC and autoclavcd at 12I^C for about 30 minutes.
For the production of the nutrient medium for the batch phase, 1 800 ml of nutrient medium consisting of 20.8 g/1 lactose. 8.3 g/1 microcrystallinc cellulose, 25 g/1 de-oiled

soya meal, 33.3 mI/1 thin stillage of rye concentrate, 3.75 g/1 KH2PO4, 6.0 g/1 (NH4)2SO4, 0.5 g/1 MgSO47H2O, 0.5 g/1 CaCl2'2H2O, 6.25 mg/1 FeSO4.7H2O, 2.0 mg/1 MnSO4.H2O, 1.75 mg/1 ZnSO4.7H2O and 2,5 mg/1 CoCl2-6H2O were autoclaved at
121oC in a 5 I fermenter for 20 minutes and adjusted to pH 6.0 with 12.5% ammonia-water.
For the production of the substrate solution for the fed batch phase, 1000 ml of the substrate and inductor solution consisting of 300 g/1 lactose, 10 g/I cellulose, 500 ml/1 of
soya meal liquor and 107 mI/1 thin stillage of rye concentrate were autoclaved at 12 PC for 20 minutes. (For the production of the 500 ml of soya meal liquor, 20 g of soya meal were sUvSpended in 600 ml of water; the suspension was boiled for 10 minutes and the solid content was filtered off.)
In the batch phase the fermenter was inoculated with 300 ml of shaking flask pre-culture. To prepare the appropriate inoculate about 3 ml each of sterilized tap water containing 1 g/1 TWEEN®80 (polyethoxysorbitane oleate) were introduced into two slanted agar tubes from the stock reserve, and the conidia from both agar surfaces were shaken off. In the following stage three shaking flasks each containing 100 ml of nutrient medium were injected with equal volumes the conidia suspension. The nutrient medium consisted of 20 g/I of glucose, 15.0 g/I of KH2PO4, 4.8 g/1 of (NH4)2SO4, 0.3 g/1 of CaCl2.2H2O, 0.3 g/1 of MgSO4-7H2O, 5.0 mg/1 of FeSO4.7H2O,1.6 mg/1 of MnSO4.H2O, 1,4 mg/1 of ZnSO47H2O and 2.0 mg/1 of CoCl26H2O. Then the shaking flask precultures were cultivated at 31°C and a shaking frequency of about 250 rpm. The pH value of the medium was not adjusted or regulated. At the start of the cultivation the pH value was about 5, at the end about 3.5. After a cultivation period of about 28 hours the fermenter was injected with these shaking flask precultures. Then the pH value was adjusted to 6.0 with 12% ammonia-water. The
oxygen content was held at about 10% of the oxygen saturation value at 31oC using stirrer cascade regulation. After cultivation for 21 hours a first CO2 maximum in the fermenter exhaust gas was exceeded, and thus the end of the batch phase had been reached.
For the fed batch phase the discontinuous addition of the substrate was commenced after the CO2 content in the exhaust gas had fallen to 80% of the first maximum. Each

addition led to a further CO2 maximum. The additions were effected portionwise
automatically after the CO2 content in the exhaust gas had fallen to 80% of the previous
maximum. The added volumes of the substrate solution corresponded to an addition of 1.5 g of lactose per litre of culture medium and of 2.0 g of lactose per litre of culture medium from 50 hours fermentation.
The fermentation was ended after 72 hours by cooling to 10oC and adjusting the pH value to 4.5. The mycelium was filtered off and the residual fermentation solution was subjected to analysis. The enzyme activities in the fermentation medium were:
Xylanase: 2625 U/ml
β-Glucanase: 555 U/ml
Carboxymethylcellulase (CMCasc): 330 U/ml
The concentration of dissolved proteins in the fermentation medium amounted to 17.0 g/l.
Enzyme and protein determinations
The activity of the xylanase (endo-1.4-β-xylanase) was determined by incubation with a 0.5% xylan suspension (xylan from oat glume, Roth) in 40 mM sodium acetate
buffer (pH 6.0) at 50oC for 20 minutes. One unit (U) of xylanase released 1 mol of xylose per minute.
The activity of the P-glucanasc (cndo-l,3-l,4-P-glucanase) was determined by incubation with a 0.5% lichenin suspension (lichenin, Carl Roth GmbH, Karlsruhe,
Germany) in 40 mM sodium acetate buffer (pH 6.0) at 50*^C for 20 minutes.
The activity of the CMCasc (endo-l .4-P-gIucanase) was determined by incubation with a 2.0% solution of carboxymcthylccllulose sodium salt (Carl Roth GmbH) in 40 mM
sodium acetate buffer (pH 6.0) at 50oC for 20 minutes. One unit (U) of β-glucanase or CMCasc released 1 mol of glucose per minute.

The protein determination was carried out following a protein precipitation (addition of trichloroacetic acid) using a modified method according to Lowry based on bicinchonic acid: Sigma Procedure No. TPRO-562 (Sigma Chemical Co., St. Louis, USA)

The present invention is concerned with a fermentative process for the manufacture of xylanase-rich enzyme complexes using pre-treated thin stillage of rye as an inductor for (he xyianase formation.
As is known, xyianase is the term for an enzyme which is assigned to the hemicellulases and which hydrolyzes xylans (or "wood gums") to xylose and other sugars. The enzyme is also known as endo-l,4-P-D-xylanase or 1,4-P-D-xylan xylanohydrolase and belongs to the EC 3.2.1.8 enzyme class, Xylans themselves, which are polysaccaridcs from 1,4-3-glycoside-linked D-xylopyranoses with short side-chains of different composition and which also contain arabinose, glucose, galactose and/or glucuronic acid as well as acetyl and methyl groups in the molecule, are components of many deciduous and coniferous trees as well as of cereals, bran, pectin, tragacanth, plant gums etc. Having regard to their presence in wood, xylans belong to the widest variety of natural materials. In view of their structural diversity, the complete degradation of branched, partially acctylated xylans requires the action of a variety of xylanases, by which the xylans are hydrolyzed to xylose and other sugars. This mode of action of xylanases is complex and is always realized in conjunction with other (to some extent synergistically acting) enzymes.
Xylanases are formed by fungi, e.g. Trichoderma, Penicillium, Aspergillus, Talaromyces and Sporofrichtmi, and bacteria, e.g. Clostridium, Cellulomonas, Bacillus, Thermononspora and Ruminococcus. They are used in the cellulose industry primarily as bleaching and improving agents and recently in the manufacture of animal feed. With respect to the latter field of application, investigations concerning the use of exogenous enzymes, e.g. of xylanases, in feeds containing rye, barley or triticale point to a favourable influence of the respective preparations on the reduction of the antinutritivc action of the non-starch polysaccharides and to an improved digestibility and absorption of the nutrients in the intestine of the animal. The most important group of enzymes, which nowadays is used especially in broiler rearing, consists just of those enzymes which can hvdrolyzc the non-starch polysaccharides present in cereal types such as, barley, wheat and rye. Several

preparations containing such enzymes are already on the market, such as, for example, Roxazyme® G (Roche), which contains cellulase, P-glucanase and xylanase as the main enzymes. Such preparations are admixed with the animal feed because of the aforementioned advantages in animal feeding; the xylanase-rich enzyme complexes manufactured in accordance with the invention serve as very UvSeful materials for the production of these preparations. The use of xylanase as a feed additive in poultry nutrition represents an important field of application, with, for example, a substantially increased nutritive value of broiler feed being produced compared with that which is achieved with energy-poor cereal types, such as barley, oats, rye and triticale, without such a feed additive [see Mh. Vet.-Med. 48, 213-217 (1993) and the references cited therein].
As mentioned above, the present invention is concerned with a process for the manufacture of said enzyme complexes, namely by cultivation of a xylanase-producing microorganism of the genus Trichoderma in a nutrient medium, which basically contains carbon sources, nitrogen sources and particular salts, and isolation from the nutrient medium of the xylanase-rich (and at the same time cellulase- as well as P-glucanase-reduced) enzyme complex which is formed. In particular, microorganisms of the genus Trichoderma are effective as formers of polysaccharolytic activity with clear preference for cellulolytic (i.e. the activity is preferably directed towards the degradation of cellulose). Many attempts have been made to change this spectrum of activity, inter alia with the object of selectively increasing the xylanolytic activity. To this end, xylan-containing substances have been added to the nutrient medium (fermentation medium) in order to achieve an induction of the xylanase formation. Purified xylans, wheat bran, barley glume, milled maize cobs (maize spindle flour), straw and thin stillage of rye are examples of these. By this means it is possible to displace the spectrum of activity in the direction of a higher xylanase activity [see as technological background German Patent vSpecifications on 278 359 and DD 291 673; F.uropean Patent Publication (EP) 0 455 928 Al; Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 40, 224-229 (1993); as well as Enzyme & Microb. Tcchnol. 18, 495-501 (1996)]. Tn particular, this inductor effect can be achieved in a cost-effective manner using thin stillage of rye; however, thin stillage of rye shows with increasing concentrations an inhibiting effect on the growth and the enzyme formation of the respective microorganism.

Surprising, it has now been found that a special pre-treatment of the thin stillage of rye used as the inductor by evaporation of water and other volatile components counteracted the aforementioned disadvantageous inhibiting activity of the native thin stillage of rye and at the same time increased the inductor activity, so that the thus-treated concentrated form of the thin stillage of rye was advantageous for use. The enzyme formation induced as a consequence of the treatment and realized during the cultivation of the microorganism (in the fermenter) gives rise to a significant change in the enzyme spectrum: the xylanolytic activity exceeds the activity of the other enzymes, i.e. the cellulolytic and glucanolytic activity, by several hundred percent: a surprising shift of the xylanase to cellulase ratio in favour of xylanase is realized.
The object of the present invention is the manufacture of a xylanase-rich (and at the same time cellulase- and p-glucanase-reduced) enzyme complex by the cultivation of a xylanase-producing microorganism of the genus Trichoderma in a specific nutrient medium.
This object is achieved in accordance with the invention by using in the cultivation a pre-treatcd thin stillage of rye as the agent for the induction of the xylanase formation (hereinafter denoted as "xylanase inductor") and simultaneously as the carbon source, with the pre-treatment comprising a removal of the solid constituents of the thin stillage of rye, a concentration of the non-volatile components by evaporation of water and other volatile substances as well as a subsequent autoclaving of the thin stillage of rye resulting therefrom.
As xylanase-producing microorganisms of the genus Trichoderma, which can be used in the process in accordance with the invention for the manufacture of a xylanase-rich enzyme complex, there especially come into consideration Trichoderma (T) reesei mutants which are derived from the wild strain QM6a, e.g. QM 9123, QM 9414. M 18.2, M 18.2-y, Rut M-7 and Rut NG-14 (see Bland S. Montenecourt, "Trichoderma reesei ccllulases", Trends in Biotechnology, Vol. 1, No. 5, pages 156-160, 1983 and the references cited therein).
vSome of the aforementioned microorganism strains have been deposited, namely

QM6a: ATCC 1363 K CCM F-560, CMI45548, DSM 768;
QM9123: ATCC 24449;
QM 94 ] 4: ATCC 26921, CCM F-522, DSM 769;
M 18.2: DSM 10683; as well as
M18.2-y: DSM 7537.
The microorganism strains T. reesei QM 6a, QM 9123 and QM 9414 are listed in Catalogues of International Depositary Authorities, e.g. the Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH (DSM) and/or the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), and as such are commercially available from these and other sources. The microorganism strain M 18.2 was deposited at the DSM on May 14, 1996 by Biopract GmbH, Rudower Chaussee 5, D-12489 Berlin, for long-term storage, and was allotted the deposit no. DSM 10683; on June 12, 1998 the DSM received a request from Biopract GmbH to convert the deposit into one under the Budapest Treaty. Finally, the microorgarv ism strain M 18.2-y was originally deposited on August 31, 1989 at the Zentralinstitut fiir mikrobielle und experimentelle Therapie (ZIMET) in Jena under the Budapest Treaty and allotted the deposit no. TMET 43915. On March 4, 1993 this strain was transferred to the DSM in Braunschweig and given the new deposit no. DSM 7537. Through ownership changes the microorganism strain T. reesei M 18.2-y eventually became the property of F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG.
The pre-treated thin stillage of rye used in the process in accordance with the invention as the xylanase inductor and simultaneously as the carbon source originates from a thin stillage (vinasse or distillery "slops") which is obtainable from grain distilleries and which is normally considered to be a waste product. The (untreated) thin stillage of rye results in spirits production from rye in the following known manner: on the basis of rye, water and enzymes (exo- and cndoglucanases) a fermentation of the rye starch to alcohol is
effected by means of yeasts over three days at about 30oC. After distillation of the alcohol the mixture largely free from rye starch remains as the thin stillage of rye.
The components of the thin stillage of rye from different batches arc subject to the variations which are usual with natural products and comprise predominantly carhohy-

drates (cellulose, hemicellulose, pentosans), small amounts of albumins, mineral substances and fats as well as residual amounts of ethanol and other products of yeast fermentation.
The pre-treatment of the thin stillage of rye comprises essentially the removal of the solids, the concentration of the non-volatile components and the autoclaving of the concentrate obtained. These pre-treatment steps have the following preferred features:
- Removal of the solid constituents of the thin stillage of rye by decantation and separation using a plate separator (e.g. of the type SA 1 Westfalia Separator AG, Oeldc, Germany). The volume of the solid-containing fraction to be discarded amounts to about 30% to about 50% of the volume of the thin stillage of rye.
- Concentration of the non-volatile components of the solid-free thin stillage of rye using a vacuum rotary evaporator (e.g. of the type VUV 20-1, Schott & Gen, Jena,
Germany) at a boiling temperature lying between about 4CPC and about 50oC and at the vapour pressure of the solid-free thin stillage of rye corresponding to the temperature, llnder these conditions a desired volume reduction of the solid-free thin stillage of rye by about 80% to about 90% after about 1 hour is achieved. The concentration of the non-volatile components accordingly amounts to about 1:5 to about 1:10 (about five- to about ten-fold).
- Autoclaving of the concentrated, solid-free thin stillage of rye for at least about
30 minutes at about 12PC (conveniently 121 ± PC).
Not only the pre-treated thin stillage of rye, but also other carbon sources come into consideration for the nutrient medium in the process in accordance with the invention, namely, inter alia, lactose, cellulose, xylans, wheat bran, glucose syrup and spray-dried corn steep liquor.
Especially preferred additional carbon sources are lactose, cellulose and oat glume xvlan.

As nitrogen sources for the nutrient medium there come into consideration, inter alia, ammonium sulphate [(NH4)2SO4], ammonia-water [NH3-H2O] and de-oiled soya
meal (as an organic nitrogen source). The nitrogen content conveniently amounts to at least 20% based on the carbon source.
Potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH2PO4) comes into consideration e.g. as the
phosphorus source for the nutrient medium. The phosphorus content conveniently amounts to at least 2.5% based on the carbon source.
The nutrient medium conveniently contains additional salts, and as such there come into consideration, inter alia, magnesium, iron, manganese and zinc sulphate as well as calcium and cobalt chloride.
As an additional component of the nutrient there can be used, for example, an antifoam agent, e.g. M-30 (vServa Feinbiochemica, Heidelberg, Germany), Glanapon DO 102 (Bussetti, Vienna, Austria) or MAZU 8005 (Quest International, Cork, Ireland).
In the process in accordance with the invention there are conveniently used about 35 to about 45 g/1, preferably about 40 g/1, of a ten-fold concentrated pre-treated thin stillage of rye based on the total volume of the culture medium. The volume of the inoculum for Trichoderma reesei conveniently amounts to about 10% of the total volume of the culture medium.
The pH value for the cultivation conveniently lies in the range of about 5.5 to about 6.5, preferably at about 6.0. The adjustment of the pH value in the culture medium is conveniently effected with ammonia-water in a concentration of about 12.5% to about 25% (based on NII3).
With respect to the cultivation temperature, this is conveniently about 28oC to about 34oC, preferably about 3 PC.
The fermentation apparatus used can be an entirely conventional cultivation vcsse (fermenter) for which precautions have been taken to exclude foreign infections. Such

cultivation vessels normally have, inter alia, a stirring arrangement and a gasification arrangement for the air supply, since the cultivation carried out in accordance with the invention is an aerobic submersed culture of the microorganism. The stirring speed and air supply arc conveniently regulated such that the oxygen content in the culture medium docs not fall below about 10% of the oxygen saturation value.
Especially suitable for carrying out the process in accordance with the invention is the so-called "fed batch technique", in which the first step (batch phase) comprises a batch fermentation, followed by a substrate introduction step (fed batch phase).
The batch phase serves for the cultivation of mycelium in the nutrient medium, whereby the injection (inoculation) of the fcrmenter is conveniently effected in three stages
(i)-(iii):
(i) rinsing of the conidia of a slanted agar culture from the stock reserve of microorganisms with sterilized tap water. The water conveniently contains an emulsifier, e.g. Tween^80
(preferably in this case in a concentration of about 1 g/1). The conidia suspension is suitably adjusted to at least 5x10 coni dia/1, especially 5 x 10 - 1 x 10 /I.
(ii) Shaking flasks suitably containing known nutrient media for microorganisms of the genus Trichoderma reesei on the basis of glucose or cellulose as C-source, phosphate, nitrate, urea, peptone and trace elements [see for example R. Haapala, E. Parkkinen, P. vSuominen and S. Linko, 'Production of extracellular enzymes by immobilized Trichoderma reesei in shake flask cultures', Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 43, 815 - 821 (1995)1 are injected with the conidia suspension produced in stage (i). The ratio by volume of conidia suspension to nutrient medium is conveniently about 1:25 to about 1:50. In these shaking flasks the conidia are cultivated at about 3 PC ± TC (30 - 32oC), conveniently at about 31oC. and with a shaking frequency of about 200 to about 300 rpm, preferably about 250 rpm, up to the point at which a culture medium with well-branched mycelium has become formed. No formation of spores should he recognizable.

(iii) The fermenter is injected with the culture medium produced in stage (ii), such that the ratio by volume of the culture medium to the nutrient medium in the fermenter is conveniently about 1:5 to about 1:10, preferably about 1:5.
The enzyme formation takes place mainly in the subsequent fed batch phase. The addition of the substrate solution (substrate introduction), preferably of pre-treated thin stillage of rye, as the inductor, of de-oilcd soya meal or soya meal liquor as the organic nitrogen source as well as of lactose as the carbon source is suitably regulated by means of a control device or an analytically-supported process control of the specific carbon dioxide evolution of the mycelium. The substrate introduction can be controlled, for example, by means of the carbon dioxide concentration of the exhaust gas from the fermentation or can be performed according to an empirically determined time regime.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention additional de-oiled soya meal or soya meal liquor is used as an (additional) nitrogen source. It has been established that a further increase of the xylanase production is achieved by the addition of de-oiled soya meal or of soya meal liquor to the pre-treated thin stillage of rye. Accordingly, it is assumed that the de-oiled soya meal or the soya meal liquor has the action of a xylanase inductor.
The de-oiled soya meal is conveniently a commercial product of soya milling. The concentrations of the de-oiled soya meal in the culture medium are conveniently about 20 to 30 g/l nutrient medium in the batch phase and conveniently about 15 to 25 g/1 substrate solution in Ihe fed batch phase, preferably about 25 g/l and about 20 g/l, respectively.
The soya meal liquor which is alternatively used is an aqueous solution of ingredients of the de-oiled soya meal. Soya meal liquor is produced by suspending de-oiled soya meal in water (about 35 g/l). The suspension is boiled for about 10 minutes and, after cooling to room temperature, the solid constituents are filtered off. The volume of the solid- free filtrate (soya meal liquor) amounts to about 80% of the volume of the soya meal suspension prior to the filtration. Soya meal liquor is used as an alternative to the de-oiled soya meal preferably in the fed hatch phase, with the volume of the soya meal liquor corresponding to the weighed amount of dc-oilcd soya meal.

The separation of the enzyme complex produced in accordance witli the invention and its purification and concentration can be performed according to methods known per
sc. Basic requirements for (his arc low media temperatures (about 5oC to about 15oC) and low pH values (about 4 to about 4.5) as well as aseptic conditions. The procedure conveniently involves:
- Separation of the biomass from the fermentation medium by centrifugation or filtration as well as microfiltration;
- concentration of the enzyme complex by ultrafiltration;
- for the production of a solid enyme preparation, the concentration of the enzyme complex can be followed by a spray drying.
The main field of application for the enzyme complex obtained in accordance with the invention is its utilization as a feed additive in animal feed production. The enzyme complex can be used as the non-worked up fermentation medium, as the culture filtrate, as the enzyme concentrate or as a solid preparation.
The present invention is illustrated by the following Example.
Example
A xylanase-rich enzyme complex was manufactured using Trichoderma reesei M 18.2-y (DSM 7537) in a fed batch fermentation.
For the production.of the thin stillage of rye concentrate the solid-free fraction of a
thin stillage of rye was concentrated 7.5-fold under vacuum at about 50oC and autoclavcd at 12I^C for about 30 minutes.
For the production of the nutrient medium for the batch phase, 1 800 ml of nutrient medium consisting of 20.8 g/1 lactose. 8.3 g/1 microcrystallinc cellulose, 25 g/1 de-oiled

soya meal, 33.3 mI/1 thin stillage of rye concentrate, 3.75 g/1 KH2PO4, 6.0 g/1 (NH4)2SO4, 0.5 g/1 MgSO47H2O, 0.5 g/1 CaCl2'2H2O, 6.25 mg/1 FeSO4.7H2O, 2.0 mg/1 MnSO4.H2O, 1.75 mg/1 ZnSO4.7H2O and 2,5 mg/1 CoCl2-6H2O were autoclaved at
121oC in a 5 I fermenter for 20 minutes and adjusted to pH 6.0 with 12.5% ammonia-water.
For the production of the substrate solution for the fed batch phase, 1000 ml of the substrate and inductor solution consisting of 300 g/1 lactose, 10 g/I cellulose, 500 ml/1 of
soya meal liquor and 107 mI/1 thin stillage of rye concentrate were autoclaved at 12 PC for 20 minutes. (For the production of the 500 ml of soya meal liquor, 20 g of soya meal were sUvSpended in 600 ml of water; the suspension was boiled for 10 minutes and the solid content was filtered off.)
In the batch phase the fermenter was inoculated with 300 ml of shaking flask pre-culture. To prepare the appropriate inoculate about 3 ml each of sterilized tap water containing 1 g/1 TWEEN®80 (polyethoxysorbitane oleate) were introduced into two slanted agar tubes from the stock reserve, and the conidia from both agar surfaces were shaken off. In the following stage three shaking flasks each containing 100 ml of nutrient medium were injected with equal volumes the conidia suspension. The nutrient medium consisted of 20 g/I of glucose, 15.0 g/I of KH2PO4, 4.8 g/1 of (NH4)2SO4, 0.3 g/1 of CaCl2.2H2O, 0.3 g/1 of MgSO4-7H2O, 5.0 mg/1 of FeSO4.7H2O,1.6 mg/1 of MnSO4.H2O, 1,4 mg/1 of ZnSO47H2O and 2.0 mg/1 of CoCl26H2O. Then the shaking flask precultures were cultivated at 31°C and a shaking frequency of about 250 rpm. The pH value of the medium was not adjusted or regulated. At the start of the cultivation the pH value was about 5, at the end about 3.5. After a cultivation period of about 28 hours the fermenter was injected with these shaking flask precultures. Then the pH value was adjusted to 6.0 with 12% ammonia-water. The
oxygen content was held at about 10% of the oxygen saturation value at 31oC using stirrer cascade regulation. After cultivation for 21 hours a first CO2 maximum in the fermenter exhaust gas was exceeded, and thus the end of the batch phase had been reached.
For the fed batch phase the discontinuous addition of the substrate was commenced after the CO2 content in the exhaust gas had fallen to 80% of the first maximum. Each

addition led to a further CO2 maximum. The additions were effected portionwise
automatically after the CO2 content in the exhaust gas had fallen to 80% of the previous
maximum. The added volumes of the substrate solution corresponded to an addition of 1.5 g of lactose per litre of culture medium and of 2.0 g of lactose per litre of culture medium from 50 hours fermentation.
The fermentation was ended after 72 hours by cooling to 10oC and adjusting the pH value to 4.5. The mycelium was filtered off and the residual fermentation solution was subjected to analysis. The enzyme activities in the fermentation medium were:
Xylanase: 2625 U/ml
β-Glucanase: 555 U/ml
Carboxymethylcellulase (CMCasc): 330 U/ml
The concentration of dissolved proteins in the fermentation medium amounted to 17.0 g/l.
Enzyme and protein determinations
The activity of the xylanase (endo-1.4-β-xylanase) was determined by incubation with a 0.5% xylan suspension (xylan from oat glume, Roth) in 40 mM sodium acetate
buffer (pH 6.0) at 50oC for 20 minutes. One unit (U) of xylanase released 1 mol of xylose per minute.
The activity of the P-glucanasc (cndo-l,3-l,4-P-glucanase) was determined by incubation with a 0.5% lichenin suspension (lichenin, Carl Roth GmbH, Karlsruhe,
Germany) in 40 mM sodium acetate buffer (pH 6.0) at 50*^C for 20 minutes.
The activity of the CMCasc (endo-l .4-P-gIucanase) was determined by incubation with a 2.0% solution of carboxymcthylccllulose sodium salt (Carl Roth GmbH) in 40 mM
sodium acetate buffer (pH 6.0) at 50oC for 20 minutes. One unit (U) of β-glucanase or CMCasc released 1 mol of glucose per minute.

The protein determination was carried out following a protein precipitation (addition of trichloroacetic acid) using a modified method according to Lowry based on bicinchonic acid: Sigma Procedure No. TPRO-562 (Sigma Chemical Co., St. Louis, USA)

Documents:

1882-mas-1998-abstract.pdf

1882-mas-1998-assignment.pdf

1882-mas-1998-claims duplicate.pdf

1882-mas-1998-claims original.pdf

1882-mas-1998-correspondance po.pdf

1882-mas-1998-correspondance others.pdf

1882-mas-1998-description complete duplicate.pdf

1882-mas-1998-description complete original.pdf

1882-mas-1998-form 1.pdf

1882-mas-1998-form 26.pdf

1882-mas-1998-form 3.pdf

1882-mas-1998-other documents.pdf

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Patent Number

205228

Indian Patent Application Number

1882/MAS/1998

PG Journal Number

26/2007

Publication Date

29-Jun-2007

Grant Date

22-Mar-2007

Date of Filing

20-Aug-1998

Name of Patentee

DSM IP ASSETS B V

Applicant Address

HET OVERLOON 1,6411 TE HEERLEN

Inventors:

#	Inventor's Name	Inventor's Address
1	MANFRED RINGPFEIL	41 REETZER WEG D-12621 BERLIN

PCT International Classification Number

C 12N09/00

PCT International Application Number

N/A

PCT International Filing date

PCT Conventions:

#	PCT Application Number	Date of Convention	Priority Country
1	97114431.6	1997-08-21	EUROPEAN UNION