Recovering unicellular protein grown on methanol - in high yields using a specific strain of bacterium Methylomonas

摘要

Unicellular protein is recovered by producing a growing submerse culture with the methanol-utilising bacterium. Methylomonas sp. DSM 580 (I) in an aerated reactor contg. methanol, as the sole C and energy source, inorg. nutrients and opt. growth-promoting materials at 20-45 degrees C sepg. the cell mass from the three-phase system and drying and thus obtg. a mass having a crude protein content of =60-76 wt. % a nucleic acid content of 2-17 wt. % an ash content of 3-6 wt. % and a fat content of 3-8 wt. %. The liq. phse sepd. from the cell mass may be (partially) recycled. Using this bacterium, significantly higher yields of protein are obtd. than with known methyloltropic microorganisms and no mutants develop which lose the capability to grow on methanol. The methanol dissimilating and assimilating enzymes are constitute. When the process of the invention is carried out continuously under methanol-limiting conditions, the nucleic acid content of the cell mass is very low and methanol loss by evapn. practically nil.