HEMA VAIDYANATHAN, PANDIARAJ SUPPURAM, VENKATESH ENDALUR GOPINARAYANAN , YUVARAJ PURUSHOTHAMAN AND SUBRAMANIAN RAMALINGAM
Abstract
There is an urgent need for the production of valuable chemicals like 1,3-propanediol from glycerol, a waste product from biodiesel industry. Since 1,3-propanediol has biomedical and healthcare applications, it would be suitable to produce it in an organism with wide acceptability like Lactobacillus reuteri. However, lower cell density as well as reduced product titres seem to be the key factors limiting process development. To address these issues, a fed-batch strategy has been presented in the current study. A 4-fold increase in biomass and 25% increase in 1,3-PD concentration could be achieved in fedbatch as compared to the batch mode of fermentation. Product tolerance assay has revealed that L. reuteriis capable of tolerating 100 g/L of 1,3-propanediol, indicating its potential for industrial application.