초록
<P><B>Abstract</B></P><P><B>BACKGROUND:</B> <I>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</I> is one of the main microorganisms that can produce <I>S</I>‐adenosylmethionine (SAM) from L‐methionine and ATP with high productivity. To satisfy the ATP requirement for SAM synthesis, sufficient oxygen should be supplied to the medium to improve aerobic metabolism in <I>S. cerevisiae</I>. In this study, <I>n</I>‐hexadecane used as oxygen vector for enhancement of SAM production by this yeast was investigated.</P><P><B>RESULTS:</B> <I>N</I>‐hexadecane was most favorable for cell growth and SAM synthesis in <I>S. cerevisiae</I> when added at the time of inoculation. It could increase glucose consumption, reduce ethanol accumulation, and ultimately improve biomass and SAM productivity in a fermentation process. In a bioreactor, the highest yield of SAM (2.27 g L<SUP>−1</SUP>) was achieved in the presence of 4% (v/v) <I>n</I>‐hexadecane after 24 h of inoculation, which was 23.37% higher than the control (1.84 g L<SUP>−1</SUP>).</P><P><B>CONCLUSION:</B> The addition of <I>n</I>‐hexadecane to cultures of <I>S. cerevisiae</I> significantly enhanced SAM production without increasing energy consumption, and has the potential for use in large‐scale fermentation processes to increase oxygen supply. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry</P>