Relieving effects of glycine and methionine from acetic acid inhibition in Escherichia coli fermentation

Abstract

Among amino acids screened for their potential to relieve wild and recombinant Escherichia coli from the negative effects of acetic acid, glycine, and methionine showed a sparing effect. In the presence of 2 g/L of acetic acid, addition of 0.5 g/L of glycine or methionine resulted in either a complete recovery or a further enhancement in the specific growth rate, while the enhancement was significant but not fully complete in the presence of 4 g/L of acetic acid. The addition of 0.5 g/L of methionine alleviated the negative effect of acetic acid on recombinant E. Coli growth to produce more β‐lactamase, which was encoded by plasmid pUC18. In continuous fermentation the methionine effect on recombinant. E. coli metabolism depended on dilution rate; at high dilution rates, above 0.4 h⁻¹, the methionine addition enhanced β‐lactamase production and reduced acetic acid formation, while at low dilution rates, below 0.3 h ⁻¹, the effect was reversed. In def‐batch fermentation with wild‐type E. Coli, cell growth rate and cell yield from glucose were enhanced with methionine addition, while the acetic acid concentration reached over 4 g/L. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.