BIOTRANSFORMATION OF URIDINE MONOPHOSPHATE (UMP) AND GLUCOSE TO URIDINE DIPHOSPHATE-GLUCOSE (UDPG) BY CANDIDA-SAITOANA KCTC7249 CELLS

The present study investigates the biotransformation of glucose with u ridine monophosphate (UMP) to obtain sugar nucleotide, UDP-glucose (UD PG), by the dried cells of Candida saitoana KCTC7249. The biotransform ation was optimized by varying the concentrations of substrates and ph osphate ion. UDPG (24 mM) was biotransformed from 200 mM glucose and 3 7.5 mM UMP by dried cells of C. saitoana. The glucose yields about 64% UDP-glucose, based on UMP concentration. The addition of glucose-1-ph osphate to the reaction mixture accelerated the formation of UDPG from a concentration of UMP. The structure of UDP-glucose obtained was det ermined with C-13 NMR and FAB mass spectra. These results indicate tha t the yeast-dried cells could be used for the production of nucleotide sugars for donor molecules of complex carbohydrate synthesis.