Screening for L-sorbose and L-sorbosone dehydrogenase producing microbes for 2-keto-L-gulonic acid production

Acetic acid bacteria incompletely oxidize L-sorbose to 2-keto-L-gulonic acid (2KLG) by L-sorbose- and L-sorbosone dehydrogenases. In order to isolate novel microorganisms with these enzyme activities, a new screening method has been studied with a presumption that microorganisms reuse their metabolic products when principal carbon sources are exhausted. When various keto-aldonic acid-producing microorganisms were tested for the ability to grow in minimal media containing such products as 2,5-diketo-gluconic acid, 2-keto-D-gluconic acid, 5-keto-D-gluconic acid or 2-keto-L-gulonic acid, they grew with these keto-aldonic acids as the sole carbon source. By enriching the isolates collected from screening samples for their growth in minimal medium containing 2KLG as the sole carbon source, as much as 50% of selected strains showed L-sorbose- and L-sorbosone dehydrogenase activities. In spite of the presence of these enzymes, no significant amount of 2KLG was detected in the culture broth, possibly due to 2KLG reductase activity, indicating that the direct screening for 2KLG producer microorganisms would be less successful. These results suggest that the screening strategy using 2KLG as a carbon source is a useful method for the selective screening of microorganisms with L-sorbose- and L-sorbosone dehydrogenases, and that a similar strategy may be applied to other cases. Received 14 December 1998/ Accepted in revised form 07 May 1999     

2-Keto-l-gulonic Acid Fermentation

A number of bacterial strains from type culture collections and natural sources were examined in their metabolic characteristics toward sorbitol and l-sorbose.

Paper chromatographic analyses of sorbitol and l-sorbose metabolites obtained from the cultures of various bacteria revealed that the organisms producing 2-keto-l-gulonic acid from sorbitol were merely found in the genera Acetobacter, Gluconobacter and Pseudomonas, whereas those producing the acid from l-sorbose were distributed in the twelve genera of bacteria: Acetobacter, Alcaligenes, Aerobacter, Azotobacter, Bacillus, Escherichia, Gluconobacter, Klebsiella, Micrococcus, Pseudomonas, Serratia and Xanthomonas.

G. melanogenus, which was characterized by excellent production of 2-keto-l-gulonic acid from sorbitol, also formed several other sugars and sugar acids as the sorbitol metabolites. These compounds were identified to be d-fructose, l-sorbose, d-mannonic acid, L-idonic acid, 2-keto-d-gluconic acid and 5-keto-d-mannonic acid, respectively, by means of two-dimensional paper chromatography.

Bacteria producing 2-keto-l-gulonic acid from sorbitol were usually isolated from fruits but not from soil.     

Metabolism ofL-sorbose by enzymes fromGluconobacter melanogenus IFO 3293

Summary Studies on the metabolism ofL-sorbose by cell-free extracts fromGluconobacter melanogenus IFO 3293 grown inL-sorbose — containing media confirm by different methodology the observations by Makover et al. that the sequence in this bacterium isL-sorbose L-sorbosone 2-keto-L-gulonic acid L-idonic acid.Dedicated to the memory of Prof. Dr. Konrad Bernhauer. For preceeding paper in this series see Kitamura & Perlman (1975).     

2-Keto-l-gulonic Acid Fermentation

l-Sorbose metabolism in Pseudomonas aeruginosa IFO 3898 was studied. When the strain was cultivated in l-sorbose medium, l-idonic and 2-keto-l-gulonic acids were detected in the culture broth.

From the results on the metabolism of various sugars and sugar acids with the cell suspension and the metabolites accumulated, the following pathway was proposed for the l-sorbose metabolism in Ps. aeruginosa IFO 3898.

l-Sorbose → l-idose → l-idonic acid → 2-keto-l-gulonic acid.     

2-Keto-l-Gulonic Acid Fermentation

Fractionation of sorbitol metabolites in the culture liquid of Gluconobacter melanogenus IFO 3292 was examined by column chromatographic techniques. Ion exchange column chromatography of the culture supernatant allowed to divide the components of the metabolites into Fractions I, II, III and IV. Paperelectrophoretic and paperchromatographic analyses of these fractions revealed that Fractions I, II, III and IV contained neutral sugar, hexonic acids, 5-ketohexonic acid and 2-ketohexonic acids, respectively.

The neutral sugar in Fraction I, the 5-ketohexonic acid in Fraction III and the 2-ketohexonic acids in Fraction IV were isolated and determined to be l-sorbose, 5-keto-d- mannonic, 2-keto-d-gluconic and 2-keto-l-gulonic acids, respectively, from their physical properties. In Fraction II were contained two different hexonic acids, one of which was identified to be l-idonic acid by the aid of substrate specificity of a hexonic acid dehydrogenase of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and the other was determined to be d-mannonic acid as the phenylhydrazide derivative.     

Folate requirements of the 2-keto-<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-gulonic acid-producing strain<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Ketogulonigenium vulgare</Emphasis> LMP P-20356 in <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-sorbose/CSL medium

In this study, the requirements for growth factors of Ketogulonigenium vulgare LMP P-20356, a 2-keto-l-gulonic acid-producing strain of particular interest for the manufacture of vitamin C, were assessed. Various growth factors were studied in order to obtain improved growth of the strain when cultured in an l-sorbose/corn steep liquor medium. Cultures grown in the presence of reduced mono- and polyglutamated folate derivatives showed a 15- to 20-fold higher biomass content than control cultures lacking these supplements, indicating that the strain has a requirement for folate. Although most folate derivatives used in this study promoted growth, the amplitude of the response varied depending on the compound used. Dihydrofolic acid was found to be the most active form, followed by 5-formyltetrahydrofolic acid, 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid and tetrahydrofolic acid. Folic acid had no effect. The effectiveness of polyglutamated derivatives was inversely proportional to the polyglutamated chain-length of the derivative used. Our results suggest that the rate-limiting step in the utilisation of monoglutamated folates is most probably related to their transport and/or their intracellular interconversion rather than their polymerisation into polyglutamated forms (physiological forms). The industrial production of 2-keto-l-gulonic acid by K. vulgare LMP P-20356 could be improved by using media in which low-molecular-weight reduced folates are present.     

On the Studies of Angustmycins

Concerning the metabolic pathways of ascorbic acid synthesis, an attempt was made to prepare a soluble enzyme preparation from green peas seedlings, since Mapson et al. obtained mitochondria from cress seedling which was able to synthesize l-ascorbic acid from sugar derivatives, and also a soluble enzyme preparation which was used with the mitochondria, the reaction mechanisms being informed. By the application of this preparation, though it was crude, the reaction route, which seems to be operated in rats and cress seedling and is not catalized in an appreciable rate with Mapson’s preparation, was thus studied; namely the reaction was considered to pass via 2-keto-l-gulonic acid.     

Syntheses of 2″,3″-Dideoxy-L-Glycero-Pentofuranosyl C-Nucleosides

Abstract

2′,3′ -Dideoxy-L-C-nucleosides, 4-amino-8-(2,3-dideoxy-L-glyceropento-furanosyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]-1,3,5-triazines (9 and 10), 4-amino-7-(2,3-dideoxy-L-glycero-pentofuranosyl)-3H,5H-pyrrolo[3,2-d]pyrimidines (17 and 18), 7-(2,3-dideoxy-L-glyceropentofuranosyl)-4-oxo-3H,5H-pyrrolo[3,2-d]pyrimidines (23 and 24) and 2,4-diamino-5-(2,3-dideoxy-L-glyceropentofuranosyl)pyrimidines (28 and 29) have been synthesized from L-gulonic γ-lactone 1.     

The fermentation of L-sorbose by Gluconobacter melanogenus. I. General characteristics of the fermentation

Growing cultures, washed cells, and cell-free preparations of Gluconobacter melanogecnus IFO 3293 converted L -sorbose to 2-keto-L -gulonic acid, to D -sorbitol (which was metabolized further) and to 5-keto-D -fructose.     

Modeling and parameters identification of 2-keto-<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-gulonic acid fed-batch fermentation

This article presents a modeling approach for industrial 2-keto-l-gulonic acid (2-KGA) fed-batch fermentation by the mixed culture of Ketogulonicigenium vulgare (K. vulgare) and Bacillus megaterium (B. megaterium). A macrokinetic model of K. vulgare is constructed based on the simplified metabolic pathways. The reaction rates obtained from the macrokinetic model are then coupled into a bioreactor model such that the relationship between substrate feeding rates and the main state variables, e.g., the concentrations of the biomass, substrate and product, is constructed. A differential evolution algorithm using the Lozi map as the random number generator is utilized to perform the model parameters identification, with the industrial data of 2-KGA fed-batch fermentation. Validation results demonstrate that the model simulations of substrate and product concentrations are well in coincidence with the measurements. Furthermore, the model simulations of biomass concentrations reflect principally the growth kinetics of the two microbes in the mixed culture.     

The fermentation of L-sorbose by Gluconobacter melanogenus. II. Inducible formation of enzyme catalyzing conversion of L-sorbose to 2-keto-L-gulonic acid

Cell-free extracts of Gluconobacter melanogenus cells grown in L -sorbose-containing media contained an enzyme system capable of converting L -sorbose to 2-keto-L -gulonic acid while cells grown in glycerol media did not. This inducible enzyme was located in the participate fraction of the cells.     

Studies on Abscisic Acid

Methyl α-ionylideneacetates were oxidized with selenium dioxide to a mixture of methyl 3′-keto-β-ionylideneacetates and a small amount of methyl 4′-keto-α-ionylidene-acetates followed by treatment with active manganese dioxide. By a similar oxidation methyl 3′-keto-β-ionylideneacetates were prepared from methyl β-ionylidene acetates. Methyl 4′-keto-α-ionylideneacetates were obtained by oxidation of methyl α-ionylideneacetates with tert-butyl chromate. Dehydrobromination of methyl bromoionylideneacetate, obtained by bromination of methyl 2-trans-α-ionylideneacetate with N-bromosuccinimide, gave a mixture of methyl 2-trans-dehydro-β-ionylideneacetate and methyl 2-cis-dehydro-β-ionylideneacetate. The growth inhibitory activities of these sesquiterpene carboxylic acids and keto esters on rice seedlings were tested.     

High-yield 5-keto-d-gluconic acid formation is mediated by soluble and membrane-bound gluconate-5-dehydrogenases of Gluconobacter oxydans

Gluconobacter oxydans DSM 2343 is known to catalyze the oxidation of glucose to gluconic acid, and subsequently, to 2-keto-d-gluconic acid (2-KGA) and 5-keto-d-gluconic acid (5-KGA), by membrane-bound and soluble dehydrogenases. In G. oxydans MF1, in which the membrane-bound gluconate-2-dehydrogenase complex was inactivated, formation of the undesired 2-KGA was absent. This mutant strain uniquely accumulates high amounts of 5-KGA in the culture medium. To increase the production rate of 5-KGA, which can be converted to industrially important l-(+)-tartaric acid, we equipped G. oxydans MF1 with plasmids allowing the overproduction of the soluble and the membrane-bound 5-KGA-forming enzyme. Whereas the overproduction of the soluble gluconate:NADP 5-oxidoreductase resulted in the accumulation of up to 200 mM 5-KGA, the detected 5-KGA accumulation was even higher when the gene coding for the membrane-bound gluconate-5-dehydrogenase was overexpressed (240 to 295 mM 5-KGA). These results provide a basis for designing a biotransformation process for the conversion of glucose to 5-KGA using the membrane-bound as well as the soluble enzyme system.The corresponding author contributed equally to the first author.     

Biochemical Aspects of 2-Keto-l-gulonate Accumulation from 2,5-Diketo-d-gluconate by Corynebacterium sp. and Its Mutants

Corynebacterium sp. SHS 0007 accumulated 2-keto-l-gulonate and 2-keto-d-gluconate simultaneously with 2,5-diketo-d-gluconate utilization. This strain, however, possibly metabolized 2,5- diketo-d-gluconate through two pathways leading to d-gluconate as a common intermediate: via 2- keto-d-gluconate, and via 2-keto-l-gulonate, l-idonate and 5-keto-d-gluconate. A polysaccharide- negative, 2-keto-l-gulonate-negative and 5-keto-d-gluconate-negative mutant produced only calcium 2-keto-l-gulonate from calcium 2,5-diketo-d-gluconate, in a 90.5 mol% yield. The addition of a hydrogen donor such as d-glucose was essential for its production. This mutant possessed the direct oxidation route of d-glucose to d-gluconate, the pentose cycle pathway and a possible Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathway, indicating that d-glucose was metabolized through these three pathways and provided NADPH for the reduction of 2,5-diketo-d-gluconate.     

Continuous 2-keto-<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-gulonic acid fermentation from <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-sorbose by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ketogulonigenium vulgare</Emphasis> DSM 4025

A single-stage continuous fermentation process for the production of 2-keto-l-gulonic acid (2KGA) from l-sorbose using Ketogulonigenium vulgare DSM 4025 was developed. The chemostat culture with the dilution rate that was calculated based on the relationship between the 2KGA production rate and the 2KGA concentration was feasible for production with high concentration of 2KGA. In this system, 112.2 g/L of 2KGA on the average was continuously produced from 114 g/L of l-sorbose. A steady state of the fermentation was maintained for the duration of more than 110 h. The dilution rate was kept in the range of 0.035 and 0.043 h⁻¹, and the 2KGA productivity was 3.90 to 4.80 g/L/h. The average molar conversion yield of 2KGA from l-sorbose was 91.3%. Under the optimal conditions, l-sorbose concentration was kept at 0 g/L. Meanwhile, the dissolved oxygen level was changing in response to the dilution rate and 2KGA concentration. In the dissolved oxygen (DO) range of 16% to 58%, it was revealed that the relationship between DO and D possessed high degree of positive correlation under the l-sorbose limiting condition (complete consumption of l-sorbose). Increasing D closer to the critical value for washing out point of the continuous fermentation, DO value tended to be gradually increased up to 58%. In conclusion, an efficient and reproducible continuous fermentation process for 2KGA production by K. vulgare DSM 4025 could be developed using a medium containing baker’s yeast without using a second helper microorganism.     

Pectolytic Enzymes of Exo-Types

A bacterium identified as Pseudomonas sp. was found to be a better source of oligogalacturonide transeliminase (OGTE) than Erwinia aroideae.

The OGTE of Pseudomonas sp. differed from that of Erwinia aroideae in the following respects: (1) The activity was maximal with tetramer and followed by trimer, dimer and polymers. (2) The OGTE of Pseudomonas sp. degraded the saturated uronides as rapidly as, or a little more rapidly than, the corresponding unsaturated uronides. (3) Calcium ion stimulated considerably the OGTE activity.

Both oxidized and reduced acid-soluble pectic acids were resistant to the action of the OGTE.

With the purified enzyme preparation, 4-deoxy-5-keto-d-glucuronic acid was the end product of the OGTE action on oligo- and polygalacturonides. 4,5-Unsaturated galacturonic acid is probably the intermediate in the formation of 4-deoxy-5-keto-d-glucuronic acid.     

Studies on the Formation of the Cheese-like Flavor

Solution containing l-leucine and l-methionine cultured by Aspergillus flavus were found to develop cheese-like flavor.

α-Keto-isocaproic acid was isolated and identified from the culture of l-leucine and α-keto-β-methylmercaptobutyric acid from that of l-methionine. The flavor was also developed from the mixture of the synthetic sample of α-ketoisocaproic acid and α-keto-β-methylmercaptobutyric acid.     

Chiral separation of amines using reversed-phased ion-pair chromatography

The direct separation of enantiomeric amines has been carried out using a chiral counter ion, (?)-2,3:4,6,-di-O-isopropylidene-2-keto-L -gulonic acid [(?)-DIKGA] dissolved in polar mobile phases, water:methanol or isopropanol:acetonitrile. High separation factors, α = 1.2–1.7, were obtained for several compounds of pharmacological interest such as metoprolol, oxprenolol, remoxipride, mefloquine and p-OH-ephedrine. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Asymmetric oxidation by Gluconobacter oxydans

Asymmetric oxidation is of great value and a major interest in both research and application. This review focuses on asymmetric oxidation of organic compounds by Gluconobacter oxydans. The microbe can be used for bioproduction of several kinds of important chiral compounds, such as vitamin C, 6-(2-hydroxyethyl)amino-6-deoxy-α-l-sorbofuranose, (S)-2-methylbutanoic acid, (R)-2-hydroxy-propionic acid and 5-keto-d-gluconic acid. Characteristics of the bacteria and research progress on the enantioselective biotransformation process are introduced.     

Two-helper-strain co-culture system: a novel method for enhancement of 2-keto-l-gulonic acid production

A novel two-helper-strain co-culture system (TSCS) was developed to enhance 2-keto-l-gulonic acid (2-KLG) productivity for vitamin C production. Bacillus megaterium and B. cereus (with a seeding culture ratio of 1:3, v/v), used as helper strains, increased the 2-KLG yield using Ketogulonigenium vulgare compared to the conventional one-helper-strain (either B. cereus or B. megaterium) co-culture system (OSCS). After 45 h cultivation, 2-KLG concentration in the TSCS (69 g l^?1) increased by 8.9 and 7 % over that of the OSCS (B. cereus: 63.4 g l^?1; B. megaterium: 64.5 g l^?1). The fermentation period of TSCS was 4 h shorter than that of OSCS (B. cereus). The increased cell numbers of K. vulgare stimulated by the two helper strains possibly explain the enhanced 2-KLG yield. The results imply that TSCS is a viable method for enhancing industrial production of 2-KLG.