Aerobic Production of Ethanol

摘要

A computer-controlled continuous culture of yeast converted glucose to ethanol atexcellent rates on a per-cell basis. This highly unconventional aerobic bioprocess makes use of oxidoreductive metabolism induced by concentrations of glucose that overload respiratory capacity and dump glucose into the ethanol pathway. Unfortunately, this yeast strain lost this high productivity when ethanol approached the concentrations required by a commercially feasible process. These results point the way for a new method for making ethanol if an organism can be found that is less inhibited by its main product.