January 27, 2010
Norway scientists to research on new lysine production process
Scientists at SINTEF, the largest independent research organisation in Scandinavia, has been awarded EUR1.34 million (US$1.9 million) for a three year international project that aims to develop an improved production process for lysine.
Commercial companies in the US and Japan had developed sugar-based technology for lysine production, but sugar has become scarce and expensive therefore a new solution is needed.
Lysine consumption is now nearly 700,000 tonnes and the world market is worth in excess of EUR1.22 billion (US$1.72 billion). Livestock are unable to produce their own lysine, and need to have it supplied as a component of their food.
The price of lysineis determined by the price of soy and sugar. Soy protein contains a relatively large proportion of this important amino acid, and farmers therefore may use soymeal as a lysine source.
The price of sugar also plays a certain role, because it is sugar that is currently used to nourish the bacteria that produce lysine. The price of lysine is currently around EUR1.83 (US$2.58) per kg, and lysine producers are seeking for cheaper raw materials.
SINTEF researchers thought it might be a good idea to use methanol instead of sugar as the raw material, as Norway has ample supplies of natural gas and methanol is a cheap alternative source of carbon on which bacteria grow rapidly.
Studies in the US found that the genes that control a bacterium''s ability to grow on methanol were located in minichromosomes, the 15 similar chromosomes that are about 200 times smaller than the main chromosome. The Norwegian researchers have identified five new bacterial genes that controlled growth on methanol. They also found two new genes on the main chromosome for growth on the same substrate.
The potential for improving the ability of bacteria to eat and metabolise methanol into lysine was greatly improved, with SINTEF scientists having developed their own tools and methods.