Curdlan production by Agrobacterium sp. ATCC 31749 on an ethanol fermentation coproduct

The production of the polysaccharide curdlan from the ethanol processing coproduct condensed corn distillers solubles by the bacterium Agrobacterium sp. ATCC 31749 was investigated. It was found that curdlan could be produced by the bacterium using condensed corn distillers solubles as a source of carbon and nitrogen. As the concentration of condensed corn distillers solubles was increased from 50 g l⁻¹ to 400 g l⁻¹, the concentration of curdlan increased but not proportionally. The highest curdlan concentration was produced by the strain on 400 g l⁻¹ condensed corn distillers solubles after 120 h and its level was higher than was observed for glucose-based curdlan production. Biomass production by ATCC 31749 was also highest after 120 h of growth on 400 g l⁻¹ condensed corn distillers solubles and was higher than found for glucose-based biomass production. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)