Cascade of bioreactors in series for conversion of 3-phospho-D-glycerate into D-ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate: kinetic parameters of enzymes and operation variables

A novel scheme employing enzymatic catalysts is described enabling conversion Of D-ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP) from 3-phospho-D-glycerate (3-PGA) without loss of carbon. Bioreactors harboring immobilized enzymes namely, phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK), glycerate phosphate dehydrogenase, triose phosphate isomerase (TIM), aldolase, transketolase (TKL), phosphatase (PTASE/FP), epimerase (EMR) and phosphoribulokinase, (PRK), in accordance with this novel scheme were employed. These reactors were designed and constructed based on simulations carried out to study their performance under various operational conditions and allowed production of about 56 +/- 3% RuBP from 3-PGA. This method of synthesis of RuBP from 3-PGA employing immobilized enzyme bioreactors may be used for continuous regeneration of RuBP in biocatalytic carbon dioxide fixation processes from emissions where RuBP acts as acceptor of carbon dioxide to produce 3-PGA, rendering the fixation process continuous. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.