Xh. Wang et al., BIOCONVERSION OF FUMARIC-ACID TO SUCCINIC ACID BY RECOMBINANT ESCHERICHIA-COLI, Applied biochemistry and biotechnology, 70-2, 1998, pp. 919-928
Succinic acid was produced efficiently from fumaric acid by a recombin
ant E. coli strain DH5 alpha/pGC1002 containing multicopy fumarate red
uctase genes. The effects of initial fumaric acid and glucose concentr
ation on the production of succinic acid were investigated. Succinic a
cid reached 41 to over 60 g/L in 48.5 h starting with 50 to 64 g/L fum
aric acid. Significant substrate inhibition was observed at initial fu
maric acid concentration of 90 g/L. L-Malic acid became the major ferm
entation product under these conditions. Provision of glucose (5-30 g/
L) to the fermentation medium stimulated the initial succinic acid pro
duction rate over two folds.