Production of toluene cis-glycol by Pseudomonas putida in glucose fed-batch culture

This paper describes the production of TCG left bracket ( plus )- cis -2,3-dihydroxy-l-methylcyclohexa-4,6-diene right bracket in glucose fed-batch culture using P. putida NGl, a mutant organism lacking the enzyme TCG dehydrogenase. Following exponential growth on glucose, the dioxygenase was induced by the addition of toluene and biotransformation to the glycol was carried out under glucose-limiting conditions to minimize catabolite repression of enzyme synthesis. Production of TCG was followed in cultures under both ammonia-deprived and ammonia-excess conditions. Energy charge values and levels of adenine nucleotides measured throughout the production phase are also presented.