IMPROVEMENT OF SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE GCU-36 THROUGH INDUCED MUTAGENESIS FOR L-PHENYLACETYLCARBINOL PRODUCTION

Abstract

The present study deals with the improvement of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain GCU-36 for L-phenylacetylcarbinol (L-PAC) production through randomely induced mutagenesis. The wild culture gave 2.58 g/l L-PAC production. An enhancement in the production was, however observed when yeast cells were exposed to mutagenic agents viz. ultraviolet (UV) radiations, nitrous acid (HNO2 ) and ethylmethane ulphonate (EMS). The mutant culture gave a maximal of 5.61 g/l L-PAC production which was over 2.17 fold improvement in terms of product formation. The outcome of an inferior mutant with declined L-PAC production level marked the termination of further mutagenesis.