Formation of Succinic Acid by Klebsiella pneumoniae MCM B-325 Under Aerobic and Anaerobic Conditions

Abstract

The present study describes the formation of succinic acid by a nonvirulent, highly osmotolerant Klebsiella pneumoniae strain SAP (succinic acid producer), its profile of metabolites, and enzymes of the succinate production pathway. The strain produced succinate along with other metabolites such as lactate, acetate, and ethanol under aerobic as well as anaerobic growth conditions. The yield of succinate was higher in the presence of MgCO 3 under N 2 atmosphere as compared with that under CO 2 atmosphere. Analysis of intracellular metabolites showed the presence of a smaller PEP pool than that of pyruvate. Oxaloacetate, citrate, and α-ketoglutarate pools were considerably larger than those of isocitrate and fumarate. In order to understand the synthesis of succinate, the enzymes involved in end-product formation were studied. Levels of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, fumarate reductase, pyruvate kinase, and acetate kinase were higher under anaerobic growth conditions. Based on the profiles of the metabolites and enzymes, it was concluded that the synthesis of succinate took place via oxaloacetate, malate, and fumarate in the strain under anaerobic growth conditions. The strain SAP showed potential for the bioconversion of fumarate to succinate under N 2 atmosphere in the presence of MgCO 3 . At an initial fumarate concentration of 10 g/l, 7.1 g/l fumarate was converted to 7 g/l succinate with a molar conversion efficiency of 97.3%. The conversion efficiency and succinate yield were increased in the presence of glucose. Cells grown on fumarate contained an 18-fold higher fumarate reductase activity as compared with the activity obtained when grown on glucose.