No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

Microbial production of organic acids has become a fast-moving field due to the increasing role of these compounds as platform chemicals. In recent years, the portfolio of specialty fermentation-derived carboxylic acids has increased considerably, including the production of glyceric, glucaric, succinic, butyric, xylonic, fumaric, malic, itaconic, lactobionic, propionic and adipic acid through innovative fermentation strategies. This review summarizes recent trends in the use of novel microbial platforms as well as renewable and waste materials for efficient and cost-effective bio-based production of emerging high-value organic acids. Advances in the development of robust and efficient microbial bioprocesses for producing carboxylic acids from low-cost feedstocks are also discussed. The industrial market scenario is also reviewed, including the latest information on the stage of development for producing these emerging bio-products via large-scale fermentation.

No abstract

No abstract

Physiological heterogeneity constitutes a critical parameter in biotechnological systems since both metabolite yield and productivity are often hampered by the presence of undesired physiological cell subpopulations. In the present study, the physiological status and functionality of Pseudomonas taetrolens cells were monitored by multiparameter flow cytometry during fermentative lactobionic acid production at the shake-flask and bioreactor scale. In shake-flask fermentation, the onset of the lactobionic acid production phase was accompanied by a progressive loss of cellular metabolic activity, membrane polarization, and membrane integrity concomitantly to acidification. In fact, population dynamics has shown the prevalence of damaged and dead subpopulations when submitted to a pH < 4 from 16 h onwards. Furthermore, fluorescence-activated cell sorting revealed that these sublethally injured cells were nonculturable. In contrast, P. taetrolens cells exhibited a robust physiological status during bioreactor cultivations performed with a pH-shifted strategy at 6.5, remaining predominantly healthy and metabolically active (>96 %) as well as maintaining bioconversion efficiency throughout the course of the fermentation. Additionally, an assessment of the seed culture's physiological robustness was carried out in order to determine the best seed culture age. Results showed that bioreactor culture performance, growth, and lactobionic acid production efficiency were strongly dependent on the physiological heterogeneity displayed by the seed culture. This study provides the most suitable criteria for optimizing lactobionic acid production efficiency through a novel flow cytometric-based approach based on the physiological status of P. taetrolens. It also constitutes a valuable, broad-ranging methodology for the enhancement of microbial bioprocesses involved in the production of secondary metabolites.

No abstract