THE UTILIZATION OF CARBON SOURCES MIXTURE (GLUCOSE, GLYCEROL AND FORMATE) AND GENERATION OF FERMENTATION END-PRODUCTS BY $ESCHERICHIA$ $COLI$

Abstract

In this study anaerobic utilization of mixed carbon sources (glucose, glycerol, formate) and generation of fermentation end-products by Escherichia coli at slightly alkaline and slightly acidic pHs was investigated at the first time. It has been shown that E. coli is able to perform co-fermentation of glucose and glycerol in the presence of external formate. The latter was utilized by bacterial cells at first. Acetate is the permanent product (25–50 mM) during both glucose and glycerol utilization. It has been revealed that composition of fermentation end-products depends not only on external pH, but also on co-utilization of substrates.