title: Biotechnological production of L-ribose from L-arabinose.
abstract: L-Ribose is a rare and expensive sugar that can be used as a precursor for the production of L-nucleoside analogues, which are used as antiviral drugs. In this work, we describe a novel way of producing L-ribose from the readily available raw material L-arabinose. This was achieved by introducing L-ribose isomerase activity into L-ribulokinase-deficient Escherichia coli UP1110 and Lactobacillus plantarum BPT197 strains. The process for L-ribose production by resting cells was investigated. The initial L-ribose production rates at 39 degrees C and pH 8 were 0.46 +/- 0.01 g g(-1) h(-1) (1.84 +/- 0.03 g l(-1) h(-1)) and 0.27 +/- 0.01 g g(-1) h(-1) (1.91 +/- 0.1 g l(-1) h(-1)) for E. coli and for L. plantarum, respectively. Conversions were around 20% at their highest in the experiments. Also partially purified protein precipitates having both L-arabinose isomerase and L-ribose isomerase activity were successfully used for converting L-arabinose to L-ribose.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology and Chemical Technology, Helsinki University of Technology, PO Box 6100, 02015 Espoo, Finland. miia.helanto@tkk.fi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Helanto
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kiviharju
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Granström
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leisola
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nyyssölä
mesh_terms: D019747:Aldose-Ketose Isomerases / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D001089:Arabinose / Q000378:metabolism*; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017353:Gene Deletion; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D048191:Lactiplantibacillus plantarum / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017853:Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor) / Q000235:genetics; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012266:Ribose / Q000378:metabolism*; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012266:Ribose; D001089:Arabinose; D017853:Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor); C022550:ribulokinase; D019747:Aldose-Ketose Isomerases; C022546:ribose isomerase; C019715:L-arabinose isomerase