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Title: IDENTIFICATION OF A STAPHYLOCOCCUS WARNERI SPECIES WHICH CONVERTS OLEIC ACID TO 10-KETOSTEARIC ACID

Author
item Lanser, Alan
item Nakamura, Lawrence

Submitted to: Current Microbiology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/22/1995
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Soybean oil continues to be a surplus U.S. commodity. Efforts are underway to use microorganisms to modify the structure of soybean oil or its component fatty acids into non-food products having industrial potential. A microorganism was isolated which did modify one component of soybean oil. This organism has now been identified which allows researchers and industry to produce a product with the potential to yield several industrial compounds.

Technical Abstract: The appearance of 10-ketostearic acid during bioconversion of oleic acid to 15-, 16- and 17-octadecenoic acids by Bacillus pumilus indicated possible contamination of the culture medium. The contaminant was isolated from individual colonies by streaking on a tryptone-glucose-yeast extract agar plate. Preliminary tests suggested that the isolate was a Staphylococcus species. Further characterization and identification of this fatty acid transforming microorganism suggests it is a Staphylococcus warneri.