The effects of gas sparging on growth and glucose utilization of Zymomonas mobilis at low glucose concentrations

Abstract

In a batch culture of Zymomonas mobilis the specific growth and specific glucose uptake rates and the molar growth yields were similar under CO2 and N2 sparging. The use of N2 or N2 with nucleation agents to strip dissolved CO2 from the medium did not improve growth rates or yields or enhance glucose consumption rates. Carbon dioxide produced no direct feedback inhibition on metabolic rates. The catabolic enzymes of Z. mobilis are not allosterically controlled by CO2.