Factors enhancing lycopene production by a new Mycobacterium aurum mutant.
A mutant strain of Mycobacterium aurum was isolated that produced mainly lycopene (>80%) with a total carotenoid content of 1.2 mg g(-1) dry biomass when grown on yeast extract and glucose. Lycopene content of the cells could be significantly increased, up to 7.4 mg g(-1) biomass, by growing the cells at suboptimal initial culture pH (pH 6-6.4) or by using high salt concentration (85 mM NaCl) in the culture medium, although a 25-40% decrease in biomass production occurred in both cases. Highestproductivity (4 mg lycopene l(-1) d(-1)) was obtained by cultivating the cells at pH 6.
University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E6BT, UK.
S
S
Kerr
C
C
Calé
J M S
JM
Cabral
F
F
van Keulen
D018533:Biomass; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D003470:Culture Media; D005947:Glucose / Q000737:chemistry*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D000077276:Lycopene; D009154:Mutation; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000737:chemistry
D003470:Culture Media; D002338:Carotenoids; D002244:Carbon; D005947:Glucose; D009584:Nitrogen; D000077276:Lycopene