Production of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) from whey by cell recycle fed-batch culture of recombinant Escherichia coli

A new fermentation strategy using cell recycle membrane system was developed for the efficient production of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) from whey by recombinant Escherichia coli strain CGSC 4401 harboring the Alcaligenes latus polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biosynthesis genes. By cell recycle, fed-batch cultivation employing an external membrane module, the working volume of fermentation could be constantly maintained at 2.3 l. The final cell concentration, PHB concentration and PHB content of 194 g l−1, 168 g l−1 and 87%, respectively, were obtained in 36.5 h by the pH-stat cell recycle fed-batch culture using whey solution concentrated to contain 280 g lactose l−1 as a feeding solution, resulting in a high productivity of 4.6 g PHB l−1 h−1.