Abstract: Aliphatic tricarboxylic acids, as exemplified by 9-carboxy-1,18-octadecanedioic acid, may be prepared by the biotransformation of an olefinic monocarboxylic acid such as oleic acid to the corresponding olefinic dicarboxylic acid, preferably 1,18-octadec-9-enedioic acid, in the presence of a strain of yeast, such as a strain of Candida tropicalis, followed by the carboxylation of the olefinic dicarboxylic acid by reaction with carbon monoxide and water in the presence of a catalyst. The product tricarboxylic acids are useful as branching agents for polycarbonates.

Abstract: Aliphatic tricarboxylic acids, as exemplified by 9-carboxy-1,18-octadecanedioic acid, may be prepared by the biotransformation of an olefinic monocarboxylic acid such as oleic acid to the corresponding olefinic dicarboxylic acid, preferably 1,18-octadec-9-enedioic acid, in the presence of a strain of yeast, such as a strain of Candida tropicalis, followed by the carboxylation of the olefinic dicarboxylic acid by reaction with carbon monoxide and water in the presence of a catalyst. The product tricarboxylic acids are useful as branching agents for polycarbonates.

Abstract: Aliphatic tricarboxylic acids, as exemplified by 9-carboxy-1,18-octadecanedioic acid, may be prepared by the biotransformation of an olefinic monocarboxylic acid such as oleic acid to the corresponding olefinic dicarboxylic acid, preferably 1,18-octadec-9-enedioic acid, in the presence of a strain of yeast, such as a strain of Candida tropicalis, followed by the carboxylation of the olefinic dicarboxylic acid by reaction with carbon monoxide and water in the presence of a catalyst. The product tricarboxylic acids are useful as branching agents for polycarbonates.

Abstract: This invention pertains to a method of production of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, with purification and recovery of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid directly from the fermentation medium of a cultured organism, in the presence of other chemical species. Ion exchange resin is used during the fermentation process to recover the chemical product without the necessity of separating the biomass from the fermentation supernatant by filtration after fermentation is complete and then treating the filtrate to recover the product. This reduces or eliminates the need for filtration steps and eliminates the need for energy-intensive water removal processes. Furthermore, the removal of the product during the fermentation dramatically increases the production of the product during the fermentation process. This method therefore can both increase the amount of product produced in a single fermentation run and reduce the per unit cost of its biocatalytic production.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a method for economical biofermentative production of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (PHB) using genetically engineered E. coli. According to the invention, a plasmid is provided which controls the overexpression of chorismate pyruvate lyase, the bacterial enzyme which catalyzes the production of PHB from chorismate. Mutant E. coli selected with a unique two-step screening assay to overproduce chorismate have been transformed with this plasmid, providing a biocatalyst that efficiently converts glucose to PHB.