Carbon and complex nitrogen source selection for secondary metabolite cultivation at the pilot scale.

The fermentation of desmethyl-asterriquinone B-1, a diabetes target, by a Pseudomonasarias species was conducted at the 600-l scale using a revised complex medium containing yeast extract and soy hydrolysate. Oat flour and tomato paste were removed from this medium due to difficulties in sterilization. An initial cerelose charge of 40 g/l improved titer and reduced product degradation in the broth at cultivation conditions.

Production of cis-1,2-dihydroxy-3-methylcyclohexa-3,5-diene (toluene cis glycol) by Rhodococcus sp. MA 7249.

An attractive method for producing cis-1,2-dihydroxy-3-methylcyclohexa-3,5-diene (toluene cis glycol) was developed employing a cis dihydrodiol dehydrogenase "deficient" strain of Rhodococcus (MA 7249). The toluene cis glycol produced was found to have optical rotations of [alpha]D25 = +25.8 (c 0.

Implementation of a rapid microbial screening procedure for biotransformation activities.

A rapid and efficient microbial screening procedure was developed utilizing a 24-well plate format in conjunction with an automated liquid handling system and an HPLC. For the evaluation of this miniaturized and automated screening system, we selected the bioreduction of 6-bromo-beta-tetralone to 6-bromo-beta-tetralol. This procedure employed both yeast and rhodococci libraries, representing a culture collection comprised of several hundred strains, from which to screen for desirable bioconversion activity.

Asymmetric direduction of 1,2-indanedione to cis (1S,2R) indanediol by Trichosporon cutaneum MY 1506.

Cis (1S,2R) indanediol is a potential precursor to (-)-cis (1S,2R)-1-aminoindan-2-ol, a key chiral synthon for a leading HIV protease inhibitor, Crixivan (Indinavir). A potential route to the biosynthesis of this important precursor, the microbial asymmetric direduction of 1,2-indanedione to its corresponding diol, cis (1S,2R) indanediol, was investigated. The screening of 32 yeast strains yielded Trichosporon cutaneum MY 1506 as a suitable biocatalyst.