en |
Xylitol production and furfural consumption by a wild type Geotrichum sp.
Matos, Ítalo Thiago Silveira Rocha; do Carmo, Edson Júnior; de Assunção, Enedina Nogueira; de Almeida, Richardson Alves; Soares, Verena Makarem & Filho, Spartaco Astolfi
Abstract
Background: Xylitol is a five carbons polyol with promising medical applications. It can be obtained from chemical
D-xylose reduction or by microbial fermentation of Sugarcane Bagasse Hemicellulosic Hydrolysate. For this last
process, some microbial inhibitors, as furfural, constitute severe bottleneck. In this case, the use of strains able
to produce xylitol simultaneously to furfural neutralization is an interesting alternative. A wild-type strain of
Geotrichum sp. was detected with this ability, and its performance in xylitol production and furfural
consumption was evaluated. Furthermore, were analyzed its degradation products.
Results: Geotrichum sp. produced xylitol from D-xylose fermentation with a yield of 0.44 g·g-1. Furfural was fully
consumed in fermentation assay and when provided in the medium until concentration of 6 g·L-1. The furfural
degradation product is not an identified molecule, presenting a molecular weight of 161 g·mol-1, an
uncommon feature for the microbial metabolism of this product.
Conclusion: This strain presents most remarkable potential in performing furfural consumption simultaneous to
xylitol production. Subsequent efforts must be employed to establish bioprocess to simultaneous detoxification
and xylitol production by Geotrichum sp.
Keywords
Detoxification; Sugarcane bagasse hemicellulosic hydrolysate; Xylitol; D-Xylose reduction; D-Xylose fermentation; Microbial fermentation; Furfural; Sugarcane bagasse; Hemicellulosic hydrolysate
|