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Alanine as an end product during fermentation of monosaccharides byClostridium strain P2

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Abstract

The thermophilicClostridium P2 was isolated from a semi-continuously fed reactor with high ammonium concentration. This bacterium formed substantial amounts of L-alanine as a major fermentation product from glucose, fructose and mannose. Low amounts of acetate, butyrate, carbon dioxide and hydrogen were also formed. A high partial pressure of hydrogen inhibited the degradation of the monosaccharides, whereas hydrogen removal, in the form of methanogenesis was found to be stimulatory. However, the amount of alanine produced per mole of hexose degraded did not change. Hexose degradation and alanine production were favoured by high ammonium concentrations. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies provided strong evidence that an active Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathway existed and that alanine was produced via an amination of pyruvate.

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Author notes

  1. Jóhann Örlygsson

    Present address: Department of Microbiology, University of Groningen, Kerklaan 30, NL-9751 NN, Haren, The Netherlands

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7025, S-75007, Uppsala, Sweden

    Jóhann Örlygsson & Bo H. Svensson

  2. Department of Chemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7015, S-75007, Uppsala, Sweden

    Rolf Anderson

Authors
  1. Jóhann Örlygsson
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  2. Rolf Anderson
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  3. Bo H. Svensson
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Örlygsson, J., Anderson, R. & Svensson, B.H. Alanine as an end product during fermentation of monosaccharides byClostridium strain P2. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 68, 273–280 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00874136

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