Summary
The effect of oxygen supply on the formation of metabolites by Escherichia coli K12, Enterobacter aerogenes and Brevibacterium lactofermentum was studied. The relative respiration rate (i.e. the ratio, in percent, of the respiration rate during the production phase to that at the end of exponential growth phase) was taken as a measure of cell response to oxygen supply to which the production of metabolites was also correlated. Several metabolites were excreted at distinct relative respiration rates: ethanol, hydrogen gas, acetate, butanoate, capronate, malate, succinate, acetoin, 2,3-butanediol, 2-methylpropanoate, 3-methylbutanoate, formate, cis-aconitate and 2-oxoglutarate. At relative respiration rates above 80% the excretion of metabolites ceased and the substrate was completely oxidized.
The effects of oxygen and of NADH, respectively, on synthesis and activity of several enzymes involved in the formation of these metabolites are discussed. The efficiency of aeration in a fermentation process can be controlled by means of analysis of excreted metabolites.
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Vollbrecht, D. Restricted oxygen supply and excretion of metabolites. European J. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 15, 111–116 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00499516
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00499516