Accelerating itaconic acid production by increasing membrane permeability of whole-cell biocatalyst based on a psychrophilic bacterium Shewanella livingstonensis Ac10.

Whole-cell biocatalysts have numerous advantages including ease of preparation and coenzyme recovery over purified industrially used enzymes. However, the cell membrane can occasionally hinder cytoplasmic diffusion of the substrate, resulting in reduced biotransformation efficiency. Psychrophiles can grow and reproduce at low temperatures; their cell membranes are highly flexible, and their permeability can be improved via heat treatment at a moderate temperature.