Screening for L-arabinose fermenting yeasts.
Utilization of pentose sugars (D-xylose and L-arabinose) derived from hemicellulose is essential for the economic conversion of biomass to ethanol. Xylose-fermenting yeasts were discovered in the 1980s, but to date, no yeasts have been found that ferment L-arabinose to ethanol in significant quantities. We have screened 116 different yeasts for the ability to ferment L-arabinose and have found the following species able to ferment the sugar: Candida auringiensis, Candida succiphila, Ambrosiozyma monospora, and Candida sp. (YB-2248). Though these yeasts produced ethanol concentrations of 4.1 g/L or less, they are potential candidates for mutational enhancement of L-arabinose fermentation. These yeasts were also found to ferment D-xylose.
Dien
B S
BS
Fermentation and Biochemistry Research, US Department of Agriculture, Peoria, IL 61604-3999, USA.
Kurtzman
C P
CP
Saha
B C
BC
Bothast
R J
RJ
D000332:Aerobiosis; D001089:Arabinose / Q000378:metabolism*; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D000431:Ethanol / Q000032:analysis*; D005285:Fermentation / Q000502:physiology*; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D008828:Microbiological Techniques; D014994:Xylose / Q000378:metabolism; D015003:Yeasts / Q000378:metabolism*
D000431:Ethanol; D014994:Xylose; D001089:Arabinose; D005947:Glucose