Metabolism of Rhizopus oryzae with xylose or glucose as carbon resource

Abstract:

Abstract: [Objective] As one of the most abundant and cheapest recyclable bio-resources, cellulosic biomass appear to be the promising new energy if the two major components, glucose and xylose, are efficiently used. [Methods] We compared the metabolism of Rhizopus oryzae growing on glucose or xylose. We measured biomass accumulation, intercellular metabolite contents, and organic acids production. [Results] When cultured on xylose, the rate of bio-transformation reached 35.2% compared to 24.3% in the glucose. Intercellular contents accumulated much more by using xylose as sole carbon than using glucose. However, the quantity of organic acid was less with xylose than with glucose. In addition, the NADH/NAD+ and ATP quantity also differed. [Conclusion] With our data analysis, solution is suggested to the all-around utilization of the cellulous in the fermentation industry, which means increasing biomass by xylose at first stage, and producing organic acids or other ferment products at the second stage. Such suggestion may be a reasonable guideline to the economic application of the cellulosic material in the near future.