GB776722A - Improvements in a process for the preparation of optically active glutamic acid - Google Patents

Abstract

The naturally-occurring, optically-active form of glutamic acid is prepared by subjecting a -ketoglutaric acid to the transaminating activity of a transaminating strain of fungus in a medium containing urea. Urea is preferably the principal or only source of nitrogen, but it may be used in conjunction with nitrates or ammonium salts. Other components that may be present in the media are sucrose, glucose, lactose, molasses, corn syrup, potato starch, corn and wheat starch, distillers' solubles, cornsteep liquor, protein hydrolyzates, tankage, dried blood, soybean meal, peanut meal, cottonseed meal, sodium chloride, magnesium sulphate, potassium sulphate and sources of trace metals. The process may be conducted with the isolated cell-free enzyme system of the transaminating strain of fungus or may be conducted by growing said fungus under aerobic conditions in a fermentation medium containing the urea and a -ketoglutaric acid. The following groups of fungi furnish suitable transaminating strains: Fungi Imperfecti, such as the Aspergilli (e.g. A. niger and A. wentii), Cephalosporium, Threlaviopsis, Phoma and Stachybotrys (e.g. S. atra); Actinomycetes; Ascomycetes, such as Endothia (e.g. E. virdostroma), Apioporthe (e.g. A. corni) and Endoconidiophora (e.g. E. adiposa); and Phycomycetes, such as Syncephalastrum (e.g. S. racemosum) and Absidia (e.g. A. glavca).