Inhibition of extracellular protease secretion by Aspergillus niger using cell immobilization.

A wild-type A. niger strain was employed as a model to investigate the effect of cell immobilization on extracellular protease secretion during fermentation. A metal-coated pad of polyester latex felt was used to immobilize the cells in shake flasks. Compared with free suspension culture, the maximum specific activity of the extracellular protease from immobilized cells was reduced from 129 units/g to 28 units/g. © Rapid Science Ltd. 1998 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]