D(-)-3-Hydroxybutyric acid prodn. by oxidative fermentation - of poly-3-hydroxybutyric acid producing microorganism mutants e.g. alcaligenes eutrophus 24408 or 21646 (DSM)

摘要

The microorganisms used are mutants of general forming poly-3-hydroxybutyric acid (PHBA) which have lost the capability of producing PHBA, which accumulate (I) in the cells and release it, and which are incapable of subsequently utilising the released (I). The culture is carried out under submerged conditions in an aq. medium contg. ammonium, magnesium, calcium, iron, phosphate, sulphate and usual trace element ions. As carbon source the medium contains one or more organic 3-6C O-contg. cpds. with C-C single bonds and carrying 2-6 functional O-contg. gps.; alternatively, a CO2/H2/-O2 gas mixt. flows through the medium. The ammonium, magnesium, sulphate, phosphate and iron concns. are reduced to a growth-limiting level and the cultivation is carried out under a low, growth-limiting oxygen partial pressure, but the carbon source is present in excess. (I) is useful for biochemical, organic chemical, physiological, pharmaceutical and medicinal purposes. The process gives (I) in yields an order of magnitude or higher than known processes.