Summary
The kinetics of growth and acid and solvent production are examined in batch fermentation of Clostridium acetobutylicum at pH between 4.5 and 6.0. At the lower pH, growth occurs in two consecutive phases and solvents are the main excreted metabolites. At the higher pH, there is a single growth phase with only acid formation. The influence of the pH can be correlated with a critical role of the concentration of undissociated butyric acid in the medium: cellular growth is inhibited above 0.5 g/l and solvent production starts at an undissociated acid level of 1.5 g/l. Reducing the intracellular acid dissociation by lowering the intracellular pH also favours the production of acetone and butanol.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Bahadur K, Saraj KK (1960) A study of the influence of hydrogen ion concentration of the culture media on the formation of acetone and butanol by Clostridium pasteurianum, Clostridium butylicus and Clostridium acetobutylicum using sucrose as substrate in a synthetic media. Japan J Microbiol 4: 341–349
Bahl H, Andersch W, Braun K, Gottschalk G (1982) Effect of pH and butyrate concentration on the production of acetone and butanol by Clostridium acetobutylicum grown in continuous culture. Eur J Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 14: 17–20
Barber JM, Robb FT, Webster JR, Woods DR (1979) Bacteriocin production by Clostridium acetobutylicum in an industrial fermentation Process. Appl Environ Microbiol 37: 433–437
Booth IR, Morris JG (1975) Proton-motive force in the obligately anaerobic bacterium Clostridium pasteurianum: A role in galactose and gluconate uptake. FEBS Lett 59 : 153–157
Costa JM (1981) Solvent toxicity in the acetonebutanol fermentation. Proceed Ann Biochem Engineer 11: 83–90
Gottschal JC, Morris JG (1981) The induction of acetone and butanol production in cultures of Clostridium acetobutylicum by elevated concentrations of acetate and butyrate. FEMS Microbiol Lett 12: 385–389
Gottschal JC, Morris JG (1982) Continuous production of acetone and butanol by Clostridium acetobutylicum growing in turbidostat culture. Biotechnol Lett 4:477–482
Herrero AA (1983) End-product inhibition in anaerobic fermentations, Trends in Biotechnol 1: 49–53
Martin JR, Petitdemange H, Ballongue J, Gay R (1983) Effects of acetic and butyric acids on solvents production by Clostridium acetobutylicum. Biotechnol Lett 5: 89–94
Monot F, Engasser JM (1983) Production of acetone and butanol by batch and continuous culture of Clostridium acetobutylicum under nitrogen limitations. Biotechnol Letters 5: 213–218
Monot F, Martin JR, Petitdemange H, Gay R (1982) Acetone and butanol production by Clostridium acetobutylicum in a synthetic medium. Appl Environ Microbiol 44: 1318–1324
Riebeling V, Thauer RK, Jungermann K (1975) The internal alkaline pH gradient, sensitive to uncoupler and ATP ase inhibitor, in growing Clostridium pasteurianum. Eur J Biochem 55: 445–453
Riebeling V, Jungermann K (1976) Properties and function of Clostridial membrane ATPase. Biochim Biophys Acta 430: 434–444
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Monot, F., Engasser, JM. & Petitdemange, H. Influence of pH and undissociated butyric acid on the production of acetone and butanol in batch cultures of Clostridium acetobutylicum . Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 19, 422–426 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00454381
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00454381