Abstract
A continuous bioprocess for production of
d-ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP) using
d-glucose as starting material is described. Based on ideal plug-flow reactor modeling using kinetic parameters, a series of plug-flow reactors were designed. A cohort of enzymes namely, hexokinase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGDH), ribose-5-phosphate isomerase (RPI) and phosphoribulokinase, purified, immobilized and resident in five successive plug-flow reactors enables a series of conversion resulting in an overall 60% yield of RuBP from
d-glucose. Continuous conversion using this series of reactor provides a convenient route to produce RuBP in large quantities that could be used as starting material in other bioprocesses.
