Abstract
The productivity of 2-methylisocitric acid by a mutant, No. R-2, derived from Candida lipolytica IFO 1659 was examined from different carbon sources. The mutant produced this acid in large amounts mainly from odd-carbon n-alkanes. The ratio of this acid to total acids produced from alkanes increased as the number of carbon atoms of alkane decreased. From these findings, it was inferred that the amount of this acid produced depended on the available amount of C3-residue derived from odd-carbon n-alkanes after successive removal of C2-fragments. A hypothetical pathway of this acid accumulation from odd-carbon n-alkanes by this mutant is suggested. The present paper also describes a convenient method for quantitative determination of polybasic acids by gas chromatography.
