Fermentation of D-xylose and L-arabinose to ethanol by Erwinia chrysanthemi

Journal Article · Tue Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987 · Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5780741

Tolan, J S; Finn, R K

Erwinia spp. are gram-negative facultative anaerobes within the family Enterobacteriacae which possess several desirable traits for the conversion of pentose sugars to ethanol, such as the ability to ferment a broad range of carbohydrates and the ease with which they can be genetically modified. Twenty-eight strains of Erwinia carotovora and E. chrysanthemi were screened for the ability to ferment D-xylose to ethanol. E. chrysanthemi B374 was chosen for further study on the basis of its superior (4%) ethanol tolerance. They have characterized the fermentation of D-xylose and L-arabinose by the wild type and mutants which bear plasmids containing the pyruvate decarboxylase gene from Zymomonas mobilis. Expression of the gene markedly increased the yields of ethanol (from 0.7 up to 1.45 mol/mol of xylose) and decreased the yields of formate, acetate, and lactate. However, the cells with pyruvate decarboxylase grew only one-fourth as fast as the wild type and tolerated only 2% ethanol. Alcohol tolerance was stimulated by the addition of yeast extract to the growth medium. Xylose catabolism was characterized by a high saturation constant K/sub s/ (4.5 mM).

• Research Organization: Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY
• OSTI ID: 5780741
• Journal Information: Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States), Journal Name: Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States) Vol. 53:9; ISSN AEMID
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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ALCOHOLS
ALDEHYDES
ARABINOSE
BACTERIA
BIOCONVERSION
BIOLOGICAL VARIABILITY
CARBOHYDRATES
CARBON-CARBON LYASES
CARBOXY-LYASES
CELL CONSTITUENTS
DECARBOXYLASES
ENZYMES
ETHANOL
FERMENTATION
GENE REGULATION
GENETIC ENGINEERING
GENETIC VARIABILITY
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
LYASES
MICROORGANISMS
MONOSACCHARIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PENTOSES
PLASMIDS
SACCHARIDES
XYLOSE
YIELDS
ZYMOMONAS MOBILIS