3-HYDROXYPROPIONALDEHYDE, AN INHIBITORY METABOLITE OF GLYCEROL FERMENTATION TO 1,3-PROPANEDIOL BY ENTEROBACTERIAL SPECIES

Glycerol fermentation by Enterobacter agglomerans revealed that both g rowth and 1,3-propanediol production ceased after consumption of about 430 mM glycerol, irrespective of the initial glycerol content. This p henomenon was assigned to the production of 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde, which was identified by proton nuclear magnetic resonance and which sh owed a bacteriostatic effect. The accumulation during glycerol ferment ation was also observed with two other enterobacterial species, i.e., Klebsiella pneumoniae and Citrobacter freundii.