Summary
Newly isolated and already available strains of alkene-utilizing bacteria were able to oxidize ethene, propene or 1-butene to the respective 1,2-epoxides. Resting-cell suspensions of organisms isolated on propene and butene, when grown on these substrates converted ethene quantitatively to epoxyethane. Some, but not all ethene-utilizing strains accumulated 1,2-epoxypropane or 1,2-epoxybutane when propene or butene was supplied, although not quantitatively because the epoxides produced were partially further metabolized. Suitable epoxide producers which eventually may be employed as biocatalysts in a biotechnological process were used for immobilization in calcium alginate and K-carrageenan; after immobilization, 60%–100% activity for epoxide production was retained.
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Habets-Crützen, A.Q.H., Brink, L.E.S., van Ginkel, C.G. et al. Production of epoxides from gaseous alkenes by resting-cell suspensions and immobilized cells of alkene-utilizing bacteria. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 20, 245–250 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00250633
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00250633