An article in APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY describes a technique to increase alkaloid yield in Claviceps culture by adding Perfluorocarbons to the media. Perflurocarbons are being investigated and used for, among other things, synthetic blood.
If someone has access to and could post this article, it would be greatly appreciated!
Title: Application of oxygen vectors to Claviceps purpurea cultivation
Author/s: M Menge, J Mukherjee, T Scheper
Source APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY,55(4):411-416 2001
ISSN 01757598
Publisher SPRINGER-VERLAG NEW YORK, INC.
Abstract: The application of a two-phase fermentation system for the production of ergot peptide alkaloids by Claviceps purpurea is described. Perfluorocarbons (PFC) are used as oxygen vectors in Claviceps fermentation for the first time. In shake-flask cultivations, the inclusion of PFC in the medium brings about a five-fold increase in the total alkaloid production and a six-fold increase in the pharmaceutically important component, ergotamine.