Enhanced production of human interferon α2b in glycoengineered Pichia pastoris by robust control of methanol feeding and implications of various control strategies

Interferon α2b (IFNα2b), a prominent cytokine molecule, is bestowed with immunomodulatory, antiproliferative, and antiviral properties. Like any other recombinant protein produced in methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris, Human interferon α2b (huIFN α2b) production in P. pastoris depends on methanol utilization during the induction phase. This study investigates the impact of varying residual methanol concentrations on huIFNα2b productivity and assesses control strategies towards the tight control of residual methanol concentration in fed-batch experiments carried out in the fermentation calorimeter. Real-time monitoring of P. pastoris metabolism was facilitated by metabolic heat rate measurements and exhaust gas analyser. Optimal methanol concentration screening performed at different concentrations viz., 1.5, 3, 5, and 7 g/L, revealed the highest huIFNα2b productivity at 3 g/L (0.21 mg/g h). Methanol sensor provided input data for three different control strategies (on/off, proportional integral (PI), and model-based adaptive PI) to maintain optimal methanol levels (3 g/L). Model-based adaptive control resulted in the highest huIFNα2b yield, productivity (244.34 mg/L, 0.31 mg/g h), surpassing on/off (188.7 mg/L, 0.16 mg/g h) and PI (202.3 mg/L, 0.28 mg/g h) control strategies. The model-based adaptive PI control framework developed in this study could be employed for other heterologous protein production in P. pastoris.