Celanese Gmbh

Celgene Corporation

Peter C Maxwell

Sol J Barer

Jih-Han Hsieh

Jin-Han Hsieh

John C Fieschko

This invention provides novel strains of microorganisms (e.g., Pseudomonas putida Biotype A) which are capable of converting substrates such as toluene or catechol to muconic acid quantitatively by the ortho (catechol 1,2-oxygenase) pathway. Muconate lactonizing enzyme is not induced in the microorganism, thereby permitting the muconic acid to be produced and accumulated in a quantity greater than one gram of muconic acid per liter of bioconversion medium.

Microbial culture having catechol 1,2-oxygenase activity

This invention provides hexamethylenediamine muconate salt. This novel salt can be produced by bioconversion of toluene to muconic acid in the presence of hexamethylenediamine. Hydrogenation of this salt provides hexamethylenediamine adipate salt.

Production of hexamethylenediamine muconate salt

Process for the production of muconic acid

This invention provides a process for producing nylon 6,6 salt which involves bioconversion of toluene to muconic acid in the presence of hexamethylenediamine to yield hexamethylenediamine muconate salt. Hydrogenation of this salt provides an aqueous solution of the desired hexamethylenediamine adipate salt.

Production of nylon 6,6 salt

This invention provides a process for stabilizing a population of a mutant microorganism in a bioconversion system whereby growth of revertant cells is suppressed. The process involves limiting a nutrient which is essential for cell growth so that the cells selectively grow on a growth carbon source rather than on a non-growth carbon source which is present. The revertant cells being suppressed have a similar ability as the parent strain of the mutant microorganism to grow on the non-growth carbon source in the bioconversion system. The non-growth carbon source in the bioconversion system is metabolized to an extracellular accumulating quantity of a desired metabolite, e.g., toluene is converted to muconic acid.

Stabilization of a mutant microorganism population

This invention provides a process for bioconversion of an organic substrate (e.g., ethylbenzene or catechol) to muconic acid. This invention further provides a procedure for constructing novel strains of microorganisms (e.g., Pseudomonas putida Biotype A) which are capable of converting an organic substrate to muconic acid quantitatively by the ortho (catechol 1,2-oxygenase) pathway. Muconate lactonizing enzyme is not induced in the microorganisms, thereby permitting the muconic acid to be produced and accumulated in a quantity greater than one gram of muconic acid per liter of growth medium.

This invention provides an improved fermentation process for bioconversion of toluene to muconic acid. The process involves operating the bioconversion system under phosphate-limiting conditions so as to achieve an increase in specific muconic acid productivity with a stabilized population of microorganism such as an ATCC No. 31,916 type of Pseudomonas putida Biotype A mutant strain.

Muconic acid productivity by a stabilized mutant microorganism population

This invention provides a process for microbiological oxidation of toluene to muconic acid. The toluene oxidation is achieved with novel strains of microorganisms (e.g., Pseudomonas putida Biotype A) which are capable of converting toluene to muconic acid quantitatively by the ortho (.beta.-ketoadipate) pathway. Munonate lactonizing enzyme is not induced in the microorganism, thereby permitting the muconic acid to be produced and accumulated in a quantity greater than one gram of muconic acid per liter of conversion medium.

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New Providence, NJ, United States of America

Peter C Maxwell