Extracellular Formation of Alanine by Anaerobes

The possibility of extracellular formation of amino acids by anaerobes was investigated. In general, anaerobes were able to produce 20 to 50 mg of alanine per dl of medium extracellularly. Clostridium saccharoperbutylacetonicum, the anaerobic bacterium for acetone-butanol fermentation, accumulated 100 mg of alanine per dl of medium containing 5 g of glucose, 1 g of ammonium acetate, 0.1 g of potassium dihydrogen phosphate, 0.04 g of magnesium sulfate, 0.001 g of ferrous sulfate, 1 μg of biotin, 0.1 g of yeast extract and 1 g of calcium carbonate in tap water.

Relationships between alanine formation and solvent yields or sporulation were investigated. Spore formation was not active in the medium for alanine formation and yield of acetone increased in this medium.