Effects of furfural on ethanol fermentation bySaccharomyces cerevisiae: Mathematical models

Different inocula with high yeast concentration were investigated as a means of overcoming the inhibitory effect of furfural in ethanol fermentation. In order to verify the toxicity of the furfural, a series of fermentation runs were made with 0.25, 5.50, and 9.00 g/L (dry weight) ofSaccharomyces cerevisiae inoculum and 1, 3, and 5 g/L of furfural. The extent of cell death occurring in the early phase of fermentation was dependent on the initial cell concentration. With high initial yeast concentration, the effect of furfural is canceled, because it is depleted at an early stage of fermentation. The ethanol weight yield averaged 0.45 on the basis of sugar consumed. The ethanol productivity and specific growth rate decreased with the increase of furfural concentration, and the inhibitory effect almost disappeared with high cell concentration (9 g/L). Mathematical models were developed that relate productivity and growth rate with furfural and cell concentration.     

Modeling of Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous growth on glucose and overflow metabolism in batch and fed-batch cultures for astaxanthin production

An astaxanthin-producing yeast Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous ENM5 was cultivated in a liquid medium containing 50 g/L glucose as the major carbon source in stirred fermentors (1.5-L working volume) in fully aerobic conditions. Ethanol was produced during the exponential growth phase as a result of overflow metabolism or fermentative catabolism of glucose by yeast cells. After accumulating to a peak of 3.5 g/L, the ethanol was consumed by yeast cells as a carbon source when glucose in the culture was nearly exhausted. High initial glucose concentrations and ethanol accumulation in the culture had inhibitory effects on cell growth. Astaxanthin production was partially associated with cell growth. Based on these culture characteristics, we constructed a modified Monod kinetic model incorporating substrate (glucose) and product (ethanol) inhibition to describe the relationship of cell growth rate with glucose and ethanol concentrations. This kinetic model, coupled with the Luedeking-Piret equation for the astaxanthin production, gave satisfactory prediction of the biomass production, glucose consumption, ethanol formation and consumption, and astaxanthin production in batch cultures over 25-75 g/L glucose concentration ranges. The model was also applied to fed-batch cultures to predict the optimum feeding scheme (feeding glucose and corn steep liquor) for astaxanthin production, leading to a high volumetric yield (28.6 mg/L) and a high productivity (5.36 mg/L/day).     

Effect of air supplement on the performance of continuous ethanol fermentation system

For the purpose of improving ethanol productivity, the effect of air supplement on the performance of continuous ethanol fermentation system was studied. The effect of oxygen supplement on yeast concentration, cell yield, cell viability, extracellular ethanol concentration, ethanol yield, maintenance coefficient, specific rates of glucose assimilation, ethanol production, and ethanol productivity have been evaluated, using a high alcohol tolerant Saccharomyces cerevisiae STV89 strain and employing a continuous fermentor equipped with an accurate air metering system in the flow rate range 0-11 mL air/L/h. It was found that, when a small amount of oxygen up to about 80mu mol oxygen/L/h was supplied, the ethanol productivity was significantly enhanced as compared to the productivity of the culture without any air supplement. It was also found that the oxygen supplement improved cell viability considerably as well as the ethanol tolerance level of yeast. As the air supply rate was increased, from 0 to 11 mL air/L/h while maintaining a constant dilution rate at about 0.06 h(-1), the cell concentration increased from 2.3 to 8.2 g/L and the ethanol productivity increased from 1.7 to 4.1 g ethanol/L/h, although the specific ethanol production rate decreased slightly from 0.75 to 0.5 g ethanol/g cell/h. The ethanol yield was slightly improved also with an increase in air supply rate, from about 0.37 to 0.45 ethanol/g glucose. The maintenance coefficient increased by only a small amount with the air supplement. This kind of air supplement technique may very well prove to be of practical importance to a development of a highly productive ethanol fermentation process system especially as a combined system with a high density cell culture technique.     

Growth characteristics of bakers' yeast in ethanol

The influence of temperature (15 degrees -40 degrees C) and pH (2.5-6.0) on the continuous growth of bakers' yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) at steady state in 1% ethanol was investigated. Optimal temperature and pH were 30 degrees C and 4.5, respectively. The short-term effect of ethanol concentration (0.1-10.0%) on the yeast growth was assessed in batch culture. Up to 1% of ethanol, the yeast growth increased in function of the ethanol concentration in the medium. The biomass reached a maximum within the interval of 1-4% of ethanol (7.9 and 31.6 g/L, respectively) and decreased at higher concentrations. The residual ethanol concentration in the medium increased rapidly when the initial ethanol concentration exceeded 4%. The best-fit model obtained for growth inhibition as a function of ethanol concentrations was that of Tseng and Wayman: mu(m)S/)K + S( - i (S - S(theta)). With this model, the specific growth rate (mu) decreased linearly as the ethanol concentration increased between the threshold value (S(theta)) of 11.26 g/L to be fully inhibited at 70.00 g/L (S;) an inhibition constant (i) of 0.0048 g L(-1) h(-1), a maximum specific growth rate (mu(m)) of 0.284 h(-1), and a saturation constant (K) of 0.611 g/L were obtained.     

The long-term effects of ethanol on immobilized cell reactor performance using K. fragilis

The effects of ethanol on reactor performance were studied in a small, 5-cm packed height, "differential" type immobilized cell reactor. Lactose utilizing yeast cells, Kluyveromyces fragilis, were absorbed to a porous adsorbant sponge matrix in a gas continuous reactor. Step changes in the feed ethanol concentration to the column (10-130 g/L) were used to test the reactor response over extended periods of time (about 30-50 h per dosage level) followed by a return to basal zero inlet ethanol feed. Effluent cell density and effluent cell viability were measured at intervals. An inhibitory response in ethanol productivity to feed dosage ethanol levels above 20 g/L was detected almost immediately, with a near steady state response noted within 2.5 h of initiating the dosage. Feed ethanol levels above 50 g/L resulted in a subsequent gradual decrease in reactor productivity over time, which was associated with a decrease in the fraction of viable shed cells in the reactor effluent. The reactor response to a step removal of the ethanol inhibition was also monitored. Quick and complete rebounding of the fermentation rate to the original basal rate was noted following dosage concentrations of under 50 g/L ethanol. Recovery rates slowed following ethanol dosage levels above 50 g/L. Viable shed cell density improved overtime during the slow recovery periods. Growth rates (as determined by shed cell density) were more strongly inhibited than productivity. Growth responded more slowly to changes in ethanol environment as growth rates at 30 h fell to about 40% of the rates measured 7.5 h after initiation of a dosage level. It is concluded that ethanol contributions to cell injury and death (and consequent ICR performance degradation) may be more important than ethanol inhibition of productivity rates in the long-term operation of immobilized cell reactors at ethanol concentrations over 50 g/L.     

自絮凝酵母SPSC01在组合反应器系统中酒精连续发酵的研究

建立了一套由四级磁力搅拌发酵罐串联组成、总有效容积4000mL的小型组合生物反应器系统 ,其中一级罐作为种子培养罐。以脱胚脱皮玉米粉双酶法制备的糖化液为种子培养基和发酵底物 ,进行了自絮凝颗粒酵母酒精连续发酵的研究。种子罐培养基还原糖浓度为100g L ,添加 (NH₄)₂HPO₄ 和KH₂PO₄ 各 20g L ,以0.017h^-1 的恒定稀释速率流加 ,并溢流至后续酒精发酵系统。发酵底物初始还原糖浓度 220g/L ,添加 (NH₄)₂HPO₄ 15g/L和KH₂PO₄2 5g/L ,流加至第一级发酵罐 ,稀释速率分别为 0.017、0.025、0.033、0.040和0.05 0h^-1。实验数据表明 ,自絮凝颗粒酵母在各发酵罐中呈部分固定化状态 ,在稀释速率0.040h^-1 条件下 ,发酵系统呈一定的振荡行为 ,其他四个稀释速率实验组均能够达拟稳态。当稀释速率不超过 0 0 33h^-1 ,流出末级发酵罐的发酵液中酒精浓度可以达到 12 % (V/V)以上 ,残还原糖和残总糖分别在 0 11%和 0 35 % h^-1,流出末级发酵罐的发酵液中酒精浓度可以达到12%（V/V）以上,残还原糖和残总糖分别在0.11%和0.35%（W/V）以下。在稀释速率为0.033h^-1时,计算发酵系统酒精的设备生产强度指标为3.32（g·L^-1·h^-1）,与游离酵母细胞传统酒精发酵工艺相比,增加约1倍。     

Ethanol production by Kluyveromyces lactis immobilized cells in copolymer carriers produced by radiation polymerization

The conditions for batch and continuous production of ethanol, using immobilized growing yeast cells of Kluyveromyces lactis, have been optimized. Yeast cells have been immobilized in hydrogel copolymer carriers composed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with various hydrophilic monomers, using radiation copolymerization technique. Yeast cells were immobilized through adhesion and multiplication of yeast cells themselves. The ethanol production of immobilized growing yeast cells with these hydrogel carriers was related to the monomer composition of the copolymers and the optimum monomer composition was hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA). In this case by using batch fermentation, the superior ethanol production was 32.9 g L(-1) which was about 4 times higher than that of cells in free system. The relation between the activity of immobilized yeast cells and the water content of the copolymer carriers was also discussed. Immobilized growing yeast cells in PVA: HEMA (7%: 10%, w/w) hydrogel copolymer carrier, were used in a packed-bed column reactor for the continuous production of ethanol from lactose at different levels of concentrations (50, 100 and 150) g L(-1). For all lactose feed concentrations, an increase in dilution rates from 0.1 h(-1) to 0.3 h(-1) lowered ethanol concentration in fermented broth, but the volumetric ethanol productivity and volumetric lactose uptake rate were improved. The fermentation efficiency was lowered with the increase in dilution rate and also at higher lactose concentration in feed medium and a maximum of 70.2% was obtained at the lowest lactose concentration 50 g L(-1).     

On-line estimation of sugar concentration for control of fed-batch fermentation of lignocellulosic hydrolyzates by Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A feed control strategy, based on estimated sugar concentrations, was developed with the purpose of avoiding severe inhibition of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae during fermentation of spruce hydrolyzate. The sum of the fermentable hexose sugars, glucose and mannose, was estimated from on-line measurements of carbon dioxide evolution rate and biomass concentration by use of a simple stoichiometric model. The feed rate of the hydrolyzate was controlled to maintain constant sugar concentration during fed-batch fermentation, and the effect of different set-point concentrations was investigated using both untreated and detoxified hydrolyzates. The fed-batch cultivations were evaluated with respect to cellular physiology in terms of the specific ethanol productivities, ethanol yields, and viability of the yeast. The simple stoichiometric model used resulted in a good agreement between estimated sugar concentrations and off-line determinations of sugar concentrations. Furthermore, the control strategy used made it possible to maintain a constant sugar concentration without major oscillations in the feed rate or the sugar concentration. For untreated hydrolyzates the average ethanol productivity could be increased by more than 130% compared to batch fermentation. The average ethanol productivity was increased from 0.12 to 0.28 g/g h. The productivity also increased for detoxified hydrolyzates, where an increase of 16% was found (from 0.50 to 0.58 g/g h).     

An novel immobilization method of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to sorghum bagasse for ethanol production

Natural sorghum bagasse without any treatment was used to immobilize Saccharomyces cerevisiae at 0.6+/-0.2g dry cell weight (DCW)/g dry sorghum bagasse weight (DSW) through solid-state or semi-solid state incubation. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the carriers revealed the friendship between yeast cells and sorghum bagasse are adsorption and embedding. The ethanol productivity of the immobilized cells was 2.24 times higher than the free cells. In repeated batch fermentation with an initial sugar concentration of 200g/L, nearly 100% total sugar was consumed after 16 h. The ethanol yield and productivity were 4.9 g/g consumed sugar on average and 5.72 g/(Lh), respectively. The immobilized cell reactor was operated over a period of 20 days without breakage of the carriers, while the free cell concentration in the effluent remained less than 5 g/L thoughout the fermentation. The maximum ethanol productivity of 16.68 g/(Lh) appeared at the dilution rate of 0.3h(-1).     

Ethanol production from galactose by a newly isolated Saccharomyces cerevisiae KL17

A wild-type yeast strain with a good galactose-utilization efficiency was newly isolated from the soil, and identified and named Saccharomyces cerevisiae KL17 by 18s RNA sequencing. Its performance of producing ethanol from galactose was investigated in flask cultures with media containing various combination and concentrations of galactose and glucose. When the initial galactose concentration was 20 g/L, it showed 2.2 g/L/h of substrate consumption rate and 0.63 g/L/h of ethanol productivity. Although they were about 70 % of those with glucose, such performance of S. cerevisiae KL17 with galactose was considered to be quite high compared with other strains reported to date. Its additional merit was that its galactose metabolism was not repressed by the existence of glucose. Its capability of ethanol production under a high ethanol concentration was demonstrated by fed-batch fermentation in a bioreactor. A high ethanol productivity of 3.03 g/L/h was obtained with an ethanol concentration and yield of 95 and 0.39 g/L, respectively, when the cells were pre-cultured on glucose. When the cells were pre-cultured on galactose instead of glucose, fermentation time could be reduced significantly, resulting in an improved ethanol productivity of 3.46 g/L/h. The inhibitory effects of two major impurities in a crude galactose solution obtained from acid hydrolysis of galactan were assessed. Only 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) significantly inhibited ethanol fermentation, while levulinic acid (LA) was benign in the range up to 10 g/L.     

Cell growth and death rates as factors in the long-term performance, modeling, and design of immobilized cell reactors

The viable fraction of immobilized cells in a bioreactor may be critical in predicting long-term or steady-state reactor performance. The assumption of near 100% viable cells in a bioreactor may not be valid for portions of immobilized cell reactors (ICRs) characterized by conditions resulting in appreciable death rates. A mathematical model of an adsorbed cell type ICR is presented in which a steady-state viable cell fraction is predicted, based on the assumptions of no cell accumulation in the reactor and a random loss of cells from the reactor. Data on cell death rates, cell growth rates, and productivity rates as functions of temperature, substrate, and ethanol concentration for the lactose utilizing yeast K. fragillis were incorporated into this model. The steady-state reactor viable cell fraction as predicted by this model is a strong function of both temperature and ethanol concentration. For example, a stable 20% viable fraction of the immobilized cells is predicted in ICR locations experiencing continuous conditions of either 30 g/L ethanol at 40 degrees C, or 95 g/L ethanol at 25 degrees C. Steady-state ICR "plug flow" concentration profiles and column productivities are predicted at three operating temperatures, 20, 30, and 40 degrees C using two different models for ethanol inhibition of productivity. These profiles suggest that the reactor operating temperature should be low if higher outlet ethanol concentrations are desired. Three reactor design strategies are presented to maximize the viable cell fraction and improve long-term ethanol productivity in ICR's: (1) reducing outlet ethanol concentrations, (2) rotating segments of an ICR between high and low ethanol environments, and (3) simultaneous removal of the ethanol produced from the reactor as it is formed.     

Continuous conversion of D-xylose to ethanol by immobilized pachysolen tannophilus

The yeast Pachysolen tannophilus was entrapped in calcium alginate beads to ferment D-xylose on a continous basis in the presence of high cell densities. Experimental operating variables included the feed D-xylose concentration, the dilution rate, and the fermentor biomass concentration. Under favorable operating conditions, cultures retained at least 50% of their initial productivity after 26 days of operation. The specific ehanol production rate was dependent on the substrate level in the fermentor, passing through an optimum when the D-xylose concentration was between 28 and 35 g/L. Consequently, reactor productivity increased with dilution rate and feed D-xylose concentration until a maximum was reached. The ethanol content of the effluent always decreased with increasing dilution rate, but excessive dilution rates diminished the ethanol content without increasing productivity. Unlike production rate, ethanol yield declined monotonically from 0.35 g/g as the fermentor substrate concentration increased. The yield was 69% of that theoretically possible when the D-xylose concentration was near zero, as opposed to 42% when it was in the range supporting the optimum specific rate of ethanol production. As long as D-xylose was supplied to cells faster than they could consume it, productivity increased with the mass of cells immobilized. The effectiveness factor associated with the calcium alginte beads used in this system was 0.4, indicating that only 40% of the entrapped biomass was effective in converting D-xylose to ethanol because of diffusion limitations.     

Potential inhibitors from wet oxidation of wheat straw and their effect on ethanol production of Saccharomyces cerevisiae: wet oxidation and fermentation by yeast

Alkaline wet oxidation (WO) (using water, 6.5 g/L sodium carbonate and 12 bar oxygen at 195 degrees C) was used as pretreatment method for wheat straw (60 g/L), resulting in a hydrolysate and a cellulosic solid fraction. The hydrolysate consisted of soluble hemicellulose (8 g/L), low-molecular-weight carboxylic acids (3.9 g/L), phenols (0.27 g/L = 1.7 mM) and 2-furoic acid (0.007 g/L). The wet oxidized wheat straw hydrolysate caused no inhibition of ethanol production by Saccharomyces cerevisiae ATCC 96581. Nine phenols and 2-furoic acid, identified to be present in the hydrolysate, were each tested in concentrations of 50-100 times the concentration found in the hydrolysate for their effect on fermentation by yeast. At these high concentrations (10 mM), 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, vanillin, 4-hydroxyacetophenone and acetovanillone caused a 53-67% decrease in the volumetric ethanol productivity in S. cerevisiae compared to controls with an ethanol productivity of 3.8 g/L. The phenol acids (4-hydroxy, vanillic and syringic acid), 2-furoic acid, syringaldehyde and acetosyringone were less inhibitory, causing a 5-16% decrease in ethanol productivity. By adding the same aromatic compounds to hydrolysate (10 mM), it was shown that syringaldehyde and acetovanillone interacted negatively with hydrolysate components on the ethanol productivity. Fermentation in WO hydrolysate, that had been concentrated 6 times by freeze-drying, lasted 4 hours longer than in regular hydrolysate; however, the ethanol yield was the same. The longer fermentation time could not be explained by an inhibitory action of phenols alone, but was more likely caused by inhibitory interactions of phenols with carboxylic acids, such as acetic and formic acid.     

高糖和氮源对鼠李糖乳杆菌(Lactobacillus rhamnosus)L-乳酸发酵的影响

鼠李糖乳杆菌经实验室耐高糖高酸选育,能够在高糖浓度下高效高产L-乳酸。以酵母粉为氮源和生长因子,葡萄糖初始浓度分别为120 g/L和146 g/L,摇瓶培养120h,L-乳酸产量分别为104g/L和117.5g/L,L-乳酸得率分别为86.7%和80.5%。高葡萄糖浓度对菌的生长和乳酸发酵有一定的抑制。增加接种量,在高糖浓度发酵条件下,可以缩短发酵时间,但对增加乳酸产量效果不明显。乳酸浓度对鼠李糖乳杆菌生长和产酸有显著的影响。初始乳酸浓度到达70g/L以上时,鼠李糖乳杆菌基本不生长和产酸,葡萄糖消耗也被抑制。酵母粉是鼠李糖乳杆菌的优良氮源,使用其它被测试的氮源菌体生长和产酸都有一定程度的下降。用廉价的黄豆粉并补充微量维生素液,替代培养基中的酵母粉,可以使产酸浓度和碳源得率得以基本维持。     

A parametric study on ethanol production from xylose byPichia stipitis

Characteristics of ethanol production by a xylose-fermenting yeast,Pichia stipitis Y-7124, were studied. The sugar consumption rate and specific growth rate were higher in the glucose-containing medium than in the xylose-containing medium. Specific activities of xylose reductase and xylitol dehydrogenase were higher in the medium with xylose than glucose, suggesting their induction by xylose. Maximum specific growth rate and ethanol yield were achieved at 30 g xylose/L concentration without formation of by-products such as xylitol and acetic acid whereas a maximum ethanol concentration was obtained at 130 g/L xylose. Adding a respiratory inhibitor, rotenone, increased a maximum ethanol concentration by 10% compared with the control experiment. In order to evaluate the pattern of ethanol inhibition on specific growth rate, a kinetic model based on Luong’s equations was applied. The relationship between ethanol concentration and specific growth rate was hyperbolic for glucose and parabolic for xylose. A maximum ethanol concentration at which cells did not grow was 33.6 g/L for glucose and 44.7 g/L for xylose.     

Kinetic modeling of Candida shehatae ATCC 22984 on xylose and glucose for ethanol production

Candida shehatae ATCC 22984, a xylose-fermenting yeast, showed an ability to produce ethanol in both glucose and xylose medium. Maximum ethanol produced by the yeast was 48.8?g/L in xylose and 52.6?g/L in glucose medium with ethanol yields that varied between 0.3 and 0.4?g/g depended on initial sugar concentrations. Xylitol was a coproduct of ethanol production using xylose as substrate, and glycerol was detected in both glucose and xylose media. Kinetic model equations indicated that growth, substrate consumption, and product formation of C. shehatae were governed by substrate limitation and inhibition by ethanol. The model suggested that cell growth was totally inhibited at 40?g/L of ethanol and ethanol production capacity of the yeast was 52?g/L, which were in good agreement with experimental results. The developed model could be used to explain C. shehatae fermentation in glucose and xylose media from 20 to 170?g/L sugar concentrations.     

Enhanced acetone-butanol fermentation using repeated fed-batch operation coupled with cell recycle by membrane and simultaneous removal of inhibitory products by adsorption

A novel acetone-butanol production process was developed which integrates a repeated fed-batch fermentation with continuous product removal and cell recycle. The inhibitory product concentrations of the fermentation by Clostridium acetobutylicum were reduced by the simultaneous extraction process using polyvinylpyridine (PVP) as an adsorbent. Because of the reduced inhibition effect, a higher specific cell growth rate and thus a higher product formation rate was achieved. The cell recycle using membrane separation increased the total cell mass density and, therefore, enhanced the reactor productivity. The repeated fed-batchoperation overcame the drawbacks typically associated with a batch operation such as down times, long lag period, and the limitation on the maximum initial substrate concentration allowed due to the substrate inhibition. Unlike a continuous operation, the repeated fed-batch operation could beoperated for a long time at a relatively higher substrate concentration without sacrificing the substrate loss in the effluent. As a result, the integrated process reached 47.2 g/L in the equivalent solvent concentration (including acetone, butanol, and ethanol) and 1.69 g/L . h in the fermentor productivity, on average, over a 239.5-h period. Compared with a controlled traditional batch acetone-butanol fermentation, the equivalent solvent concentration and the tormentor productivity were increased by 140% and 320%, respectively. (c) 1995 John Wiley & Sons Inc.     

Production of ethanol by Clostridium thermosaccharolyticum: I. Effect of cell recycle and environmental parameters

The direct microbial conversion (DMC) process for the production of ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass is limited by low volumetric ethanol production rates due to the low cell densities of Clostridium thermosaccharolyticum which is a key organism for ethanol production in this process. Hence, this study focuses on the use of a continuous- culture cell recycle system to improve the volumetric ethanol productivity and yield of the fermentation of xylose by C. thermosaccharolyticum. Early experiments with the continuous-culture cell recycle system showed a two-fold improvement in volumetric ethanol productivity. However, the ethanol yield at the higher dilution rates suffered because of the large amount of lactate produced. The manipulation of two environmental parameters-iron concentration in the nutrient medium and the N(2) purge rate of the fermentor headspace-allowed a dramatic reduction in the lactate production and a simultaneous improvement in the ethanol titer and yield. Under the improved conditions of increased iron concentration (12.5 mg/L FeSO(4) . 7H(2)O) and decreased N(2) purge rate (0.1 L/min), a continuous culture of C. thermosaccharolyticum operating at a dilution rate of 0.24 h(-1) and 50% cell recycle produced 8.6 g/L ethanol and less than 1 g/L each of acetate and lactate. The volumetric ethanol productivity was 2.2 g/L/h, which is 8 times larger than obtained for a continuous culture operated with no cell recycle and the same specific growth rate.     

Expression of aldehyde dehydrogenase 6 reduces inhibitory effect of furan derivatives on cell growth and ethanol production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Yeast dehydrogenases and reductases were overexpressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae D452-2 to detoxify 2-furaldehyde (furfural) and 5-hydroxymethyl furaldehyde (HMF), two potent toxic chemicals present in acid-hydrolyzed cellulosic biomass, and hence improve cell growth and ethanol production. Among those enzymes, aldehyde dehydrogenase 6 (ALD6) played the dual roles of direct oxidation of furan derivatives and supply of NADPH cofactor to their reduction reactions. Batch fermentation of S. cerevisiae D452-2/pH-ALD6 in the presence of 2 g/L furfural and 0.5 g/L HMF resulted in 20-30% increases in specific growth rate, ethanol concentration and ethanol productivity, compared with those of the wild type strain. It was proposed that overexpression of ALD6 could recover the yeast cell metabolism and hence increase ethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass containing furan-derived inhibitors.     

Minimal nutritional requirements for immobilized yeast

The effect of reduced nutritional levels (particularly nitrogen source) for immobilized K. fragilis type yeast were studied using a trickle flow, "differential" plug flow type reactor with cells immobilized by adsorption onto an absorbant packing matrix. Minimizing nutrient levels in a feed stream to an immobilized cell reactor (ICR) might have the benefits of reducing cell growth and clogging problems in the ICR, reducing feed preparation costs, as well as reducing effluent disposal costs. In this study step changes in test feed medium nutrient compositions were introduced to the ICR, followed by a return to a basal medium. Gas evolution rates were monitored and logged on a continuous basis, and effluent cell density was used as an indicator of cell growth rate of the immobilized cell mass. Startup of the reactor using a YEP medium showed a rapid buildup of cells in the reactor during the initial 110 h operation. The population density then stabilized at 1.6 x 10(11) cells/g sponge. A defined medium containing a complex mix of essential nutrients with an inorganic nitrogen source (ammonium sulfate) was able to maintain 90% of the productivity in the ICR as compared to the YEP medium, but proved unable to promote growth of the immobilized cell mass during startup. Experiments on reduced ammonium sulfate in the defined medium, and reduced yeast extract and peptone in YEP medium indicated that stable productivity could be maintained for extended periods (80 h) in the complete absence of any nutrients besides a few salts (potassium phosphate and magnesium sulfate). It was found that productivity rates dropped by 35-65% from maximal values as nitrogenous nutrients were eliminated from the test mediums, while growth rates (as determined by shed cell density from the reactor) dropped by 75-95%. Thus, nutritional deficiencies largely decoupled growth and productivity of the immobilized yeast which suggests productivity is both growth- and non-growth-associated for the immobilized cells. A yeast extract concentration of 0.375 g/L with or without 1 g/L ammonium sulfate was determined to be the minimum level which gave a sustained increase in productivity rates as compared to the nutritionally deficient salt medium. This represents a 94% reduction in complex nitrogenous nutrient levels compared to standard YEP batch medium (3 g/L YE and 3.5 g/L peptone).