Microbial Bioreaction Process

Abstract

A cis- or trans-stilbenoid of the general formula (1): in which each of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 and R 5 is hydrogen or hydroxy, or a glycosylated or oligomeric form thereof, is produced by cultivating a micro-organism producing said stilbenoid, in a multi-phase system comprising at least an aqueous first phase containing said micro-organism and a second phase immiscible with said aqueous phase in which (e.g. as which) said stilbenoid accumulates. The second phase may be said stilbenoid or a free or encapsulated solvent compatible with the growth of the micro-organism, for instance an ester.

1 . A method for producing an extraction solvent tolerant microorganism strain producing a metabolite comprising:
 (a) cultivating a starting micro-organism in a multi-phase system comprising at least an aqueous first phase containing said micro-organism and a second phase immiscible with said aqueous phase in which said metabolite accumulates, said second phase comprising a first solvent component to which the micro-organism is more tolerant and a first concentration of a second solvent component to which the micro-organism is less tolerant,   (b) recovering progeny micro-organism from said cultivation (a), and   (c) culturing said progeny micro-organism in a said multi-phase system in which the concentration of said second solvent component is increased above said first concentration.