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Aerobic and anaerobic ethanol production by Mucor circinelloides during submerged growth

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Abstract

The dimorphic organism Mucor circinelloides is currently being investigated as a potential host for heterologous protein production. The production of ethanol on pentose and hexose sugars was studied in submerged batch cultivations to further the general knowledge of Mucor physiology, with a view to the minimisation or elimination of the by-product ethanol for future process design. Large amounts of ethanol were produced during aerobic growth on glucose under non-oxygen limiting conditions, which is indicative of M. circinelloides being a Crabtree-positive organism. Ethanol production on galactose or xylose was less significant. The response of the organism to increased ethanol concentrations, both as the sole carbon source and in the presence of a sugar, was investigated in terms of biomass formation and morphology.

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Acknowledgement

This work was partially supported by the Danish Agency for Trade and Industry through the EUKA Center.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Process Biotechnology, BioCentrum-DTU, Technical University of Denmark, Building 223, 2800 , Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark

    T. L. Lübbehüsen, J. Nielsen & M. McIntyre

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  1. T. L. Lübbehüsen
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  2. J. Nielsen
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  3. M. McIntyre
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Correspondence to M. McIntyre.

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Lübbehüsen, T.L., Nielsen, J. & McIntyre, M. Aerobic and anaerobic ethanol production by Mucor circinelloides during submerged growth. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 63, 543–548 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-003-1394-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-003-1394-4

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