Fermentative production of succinic acid from glucose and corn steep liquor by Anaerobiospirillum succiniciproducens

Abstract

Anaerobiospirillum succiniciproducens requires expensive complex nitrogen sources such as yeast extract and polypeptone for its growth and succinic acid production. It was found that A. succiniciproducens was able to grow in a minimal medium containing glucose when supplemented with corn steep liquor (CSL) as the sole complex nitrogen source. The concentration of CSL had a significant effect on the glucose consumption by A. succiniciproducens. When 10-15 g/L of CSL was supplemented, cells were grown to an OD660 of 3.5 and produced 17.8 g/L succinic acid with 20 g/L glucose. These results are similar to those obtained by supplementing yeast extract and polypeptone, thereby suggesting that succinic acid can be produced more economically using glucose and CSL.