United States of America, As Represented by the Secretary of Agriculture

The United States of America As Represented by the Secretary of

Zuchem, Inc.

Biotechnology Research Development Corporation

Badal C Saha

Rodney J Bothast

Paul Taylor

Francis Michael Racine

David C Demirjian

Ian G Fotheringham

Nathan Wymer

Yoshikiyo Sakakibara

Yoshikiyo Sakaibara

Elena Terentieva

Recombinant microorganisms are useful for producing xylitol by fermentation of arabinose. The recombinant microorganisms are produced by transformation of host microorganisms with heterologous polynucleotide sequences coding for each of L-xylulose reductase, D-tagatose 3-epimerase, and L-arabinose isomerase, which transformants express the heterologous polynucleotides at a sufficient functional level to be effective to produce xylitol from arabinose. Production of xylitol is effected by contacting these recombinant microorganisms with a substrate comprising arabinose under conditions effective to produce xylitol from arabinose.

Method for microbial production of xylitol from arabinose

The invention provides biosynthetic routes to xylitol production that do not require pure-xylose for synthesis and that can utilize inexpensive substrates such as hemicellulose hydrolysates.

Methods for production of xylitol in microorganisms

Mannitol is produced in a highly efficient fermentative method usingNRRL B-30560, or in a biochemical method using mannitol dehydrogenase isolated from this strain. Fructose serves as the primary carbon substrate in both the fermentative and biochemical conversions, but important secondary carbon sources include glucose, maltose, mannose and galactose. Mannitol is useful in the food, pharmaceutical, and medicine industries as a sweet-tasting bodying and texturing agent.

Bio-based method for making mannitol

The invention provides processes for continuous fed-batch fermentative production and continuous recycle fermentative production of mannitol.

Fermentative production of mannitol

Method for making mannitol with Lactobacillus intermedius

An .alpha.-L-arabinofuranosidase enzyme which is highly thermostable, and is effective for the hydrolysis of arabinofuranosyl residues from L-arabinose containing polysaccharides and hemicelluloses is disclosed. The enzyme is produced by color variant Aureobasidium pullulans strain NRRL Y-21792. This .alpha.-L-arabinofuranosidase may be used in conjunction with xylanolytic enzymes for the treatment of hemicellulosic materials to produce fermentable sugars, particularly xylose and L-arabinose.

Thermostable .alpha.-L-arabinofuranosidase from Aureobasidium pullulans

A new .beta.-glucosidase enzyme which is tolerant to glucose and cellobiose, and which is effective for the hydrolysis of cellobiose to glucose, is disclosed. The enzyme is produced by Candida peltata, strain NRRL Y-21603. This .beta.-glucosidase may be used in conjunction with cellulolytic enzymes for the treatment of cellulosic materials to convert cellulose to glucose.

Growing community of inventors

Peoria, IL, United States of America

Badal C Saha