[L-lysine production by Corynebacterium glutamicum non growing cells]

The production of L-lysine by Corynebacterium glutamicum (GIGO) non growing cells was studied. A system of fermentation was developed where it was possible to separate the physiologic states of growth from those of production of L-lysine. The biomass propagation step carried out in batch cultures with yeast extract and glucose substrate showed cellular growth without production of L-lysine. The production of L-lysine was achieved when the cells were collected and incubated in the mineral glucose medium without yeast extract. In this condition non cellular growth was observed and the yield product (YP/S) and the specific production of L-lysine were increased (3 times) in rapport with the values obtained with the conventional fermentation system with overlapping of cellular growth and production of L-lysine. The oxygen limitation led to the synthesis of lactic acid and acetic acid as alternative byproducts, which diminished when improving the oxygenation conditions by increasing the agitation rate of the cultures.