In situ extraction of polar product of whole cell microbial transformation with polyethylene glycol-induced cloud point system

A novel polyethylene glycol‐induced cloud point system (PEG‐CPS) was developed for in situ extraction of moderate polar product by setting a microbial transformation of benzaldehyde into L‐phenylacetylcarbinol (L‐PAC) with Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baker's yeast) as a model reaction. The biocompatibility of the microorganism in PEG‐CPS was comparatively studied with a series of water‐organic solvent two‐phase partitioning systems. The tolerance of microorganism to the toxic substrate benzaldehyde was increased and the moderate polar product L‐PAC was extracted into the surfactant‐rich phase in the PEG‐CPS. The novel PEG‐CPS fills the gap of in situ extraction of polar product in microbial transformation left by water‐organic solvent two‐phase partitioning system. At the same time, the application of PEG‐CPS in a microbial transformation also avoids expensive solvent when compared with that of aqueous two‐phase system or CPS.