Growth of Burkholderia sacchari LFM 101 cultivated in glucose, sucrose and glycerol at different temperatures

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) have attracted major industrial interest as alternatives to conventional plastics. They are produced by several bacteria as cytoplasmic inclusions when nutrients are in limited supply. Among the many factors influencing bacterial growth, the effect of temperature on both specific growth rates and growth yields in terms of carbon source intake is of considerable interest. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of the bacterium Burkholderia sacchari LFM 101 on growth and PHA production, using glucose, sucrose or glycerol as a carbon source, at 30 and 35 degrees C. The results showed that B. sacchari cultured with glucose at 35 degrees C presented both higher productivity and polymer yield in dried cell mass. There were no differences in growth rates (mu(max)) in sucrose and glucose. The growth conditions studied were not favorable to glycerol consumption due to limitations in the energy supply from glycerol.