Fermentation of D-xylose to ethanol by genetically modified Klebsiella planticola

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

OSTI ID:5780748

Tolan, J S; Finn, R K

D-Xylose is a plentiful pentose sugar derived from agricultural or forest residues. Enteric bacteria such as Klebsiella spp. ferment D-xylose to form mixed acids and butanediol in addition to ethanol. Thus, the ethanol yield is normally low. This report describes the fermentation of D-xylose by Klebsiella planticola ATCC 33531 bearing multicopy plasmids containing the pdc gene inserted from Zymomonas mobilis. Expression of the gene markedly increased the yield of ethanol to 1.3 mol/mol of xylose, or 25.1 g/liter. Concurrently, there were significant decreases in the yields of formate, acetate, lactate, and butanediol. Transconjugant Klebsiella spp. grew almost as fast as the wild type and tolerated up to 4% ethanol. The plasmid was retained by the cells during at least one batch culture, even in the absence of selective pressure by antibiotics to maintain the plasmid. Ethanol production was 31.6 g/liter from 79.6 g of mixed substrate per liter chosen to simulate hydrolyzed hemicellulose. The physiology of the wild-type of K. planticola is described in more detail than in the original report of its isolation.

• Research Organization: Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY
• OSTI ID: 5780748
• 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

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ALCOHOLS
ALDEHYDES
BACTERIA
BATCH CULTURE
BIOCONVERSION
CARBOHYDRATES
CARBON-CARBON LYASES
CARBOXY-LYASES
CELL CONSTITUENTS
DECARBOXYLASES
ENZYMES
ETHANOL
FERMENTATION
GENE REGULATION
GENETIC ENGINEERING
GROWTH
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
KLEBSIELLA
LYASES
MICROORGANISMS
MONOSACCHARIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PENTOSES
PLASMIDS
SACCHARIDES
XYLOSE
YIELDS