Abstract
We have developed a whole-cell bioconversion system for the production of D-1,2,4-butanetriol (BT) from renewable biomass. A plasmid pETduet- T7- T7- was constructed and transformed to BL21(DE3) to obtain the whole cells of BL21- capable of bioconversion D-xylose to BT. Then, the factors including carbon sources, nitrogen sources, metal ions, and culture conditions (pH, temperature, IPTG) were identified, and their effects on the whole-cell activity for BT production were investigated. To obtain the highest whole-cell activity, the optimal cultivation parameters are: 15 g·L yeast extract, 5 g·L sucrose, 3g·L KH PO , 5 g·L NaCl, 3g·L NH Cl, 0.25 g·L MgSO ?7H O and 1 mL·L the mixture of trace elements. With the optimized whole cells of BL21- , 60 g·L of xylose was converted to 28g·L BT with a molar yield of 66 %, which is higher than those reported in the biotechnological system.