광합성세균을 이용하여 생물제초제의 하나인 ${delta}-aminolevulinic$ acid(ALA)를 생산할 목적으로 자연계로부터 ALA 생산능력이 우수한 균주를 분리하고 ALA의 최적생산에 미치는 일부 배양특성을 검토하였다. 선정균주 KK-10을 동정한 결과 홍색비유황세균에 속하는 Rhodobacter capsulatus로 판명되었다. 본 균주의 ALA 생산성을 높이기 위하여 ALA 탈수효소의 저해제인 levulinic acid(LA)를 15 mM 농도로 배양중기에서 배양액에 첨가함으로써 ALA의 생산량은 약 20배(28 mg/l) 증가되었다. ALA의 전구물질인 glycine과 succinate를 각각 30 mM 복합첨가할 때 약 50배(73 mg/l)생산량을 나타내었고 전구물질의 첨가에 의해 ALA 합성효소의 생합성량은 2배 증가하였다. 분리균주는 전구물질 함유 배지에 15 mM LA를 대수기 중기부터 4회 연속첨가함으로써 85 mg/l 균체외 ALA를 생산하였다.
Screening, Identification and some cultural characteristics of ALA$({delta}-aminolevulinic;acid)$-producing photosynthetic bacteria were carried out for the optimal production of ALA, one of the bioherbicides. Among photosynthetic bacteria isolated from soil, marsh, pond, etc., KK-10 was the best producer of ALA and identified to be Rhodobacter capsulatus belonging to a typical group of nonsulfur purple bacteria. By addition of 15 mM LA (levulinic acid), an inhibitor of ALA dehydrase in cyclic tetrapyrrole biosynthesis, into culture broth at middle log phase of cell growths, ALA production was considerably increased to about 20-fold (28 mg/l). The combined supplementation of glycine and succinate, each with a concentration of 30 mM also enhanced production of ALA and activity of ALA synthase to about 50-fold (73 mg/l) and 2-fold, respectively. The isolated strain was able to produce upto 80 mg/l under the cultural condition optimized by addition 15 mM LA into the synthetic medium at four different points starting middle log phase.
