Fermentative production of curdlan.
Curdlan was produced by pure culture fermentation using Agrobacterium radiobacter NCIM 2443. Three different carbon sources (glucose, sucrose, maltose) were selected for study. Sucrose was found to be the most efficient. Utilization of sugar during the course of fermentation was studied, and the data were correlated to the production of curdlan. Curdlan mimics a secondary metabolite, in that its synthesis is associated with the poststationary growth phase of nitrogen-depleted batch culture. This was inferred from the results obtained from utilization of nitrogen. Regulation of pH at 6.1 +/- 0.3 resulted in an increased yield of curdlan from 2.48 to 4.8 g/L, and the corresponding increase in succinoglucan production was from 1.78 to 2.8 g/L. An attempt was made to increase curdlan production by the addition of the uridine nucleotides UMP and UDP-glucose to the fermentation broth. It was found that UDP-glucose at 0.8 microg/mL and UMP at 0.6 microg/mL served as precursors for curdlan and succinoglucan production when added after 18 h of nitrogen depletion in the fermentation broth.
Food and Fermentation Technology Department, Institute of Chemical Technology, University of Mumbai, Matunga, 400019.
Parag S
PS
Saudagar
Rekha S
RS
Singhal
D005285:Fermentation; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D008320:Maltose / Q000378:metabolism; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012231:Rhizobium / Q000378:metabolism*; D013395:Sucrose / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014532:Uridine Diphosphate Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D014542:Uridine Monophosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D047071:beta-Glucans / Q000378:metabolism*
D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D047071:beta-Glucans; C061788:succinoglucan exopolysaccharide; D013395:Sucrose; D008320:Maltose; C038459:curdlan; D014542:Uridine Monophosphate; D005947:Glucose; D014532:Uridine Diphosphate Glucose