title: Microfluidic multi-input reactor for biocatalytic synthesis using transketolase.
abstract: Biocatalytic synthesis in continuous-flow microreactors is of increasing interest for the production of specialty chemicals. However, the yield of production achievable in these reactors can be limited by the adverse effects of high substrate concentration on the biocatalyst, including inhibition and denaturation. Fed-batch reactors have been developed in order to overcome this problem, but no continuous-flow solution exists. We present the design of a novel multi-input microfluidic reactor, capable of substrate feeding at multiple points, as a first step towards overcoming these problems in a continuous-flow setting. Using the transketolase-(TK) catalysed reaction of lithium hydroxypyruvate (HPA) and glycolaldehyde (GA) to l-erythrulose (ERY), we demonstrate the transposition of a fed-batch substrate feeding strategy to our microfluidic reactor. We obtained a 4.5-fold increase in output concentration and a 5-fold increase in throughput compared with a single input reactor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, Torrington Place, London WC1E 7JE, UK.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lawrence
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: O'Sullivan
authors.forename: Gary J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Lye
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wohlgemuth
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Szita
keywords: Fed-batch; Laser fabrication; Micro reactor; Microfluidic reactor; Transketolase