Intergeneric protoplast fusion between Gluconobacter oxydans and Corynebacterium species

Abstract Intergeneric protoplast fusion between 2,5-diketo-gluconic acid producing Gluconobacter oxydans (ATCC 9937) and a mutant strain of Corynebacterium species (ATCC 31090), capable of reducing 2,5-diketo-gluconic acid to 2-keto- l -gulonic acid, a penultimate step in vitamin C production) resulted in viable recombinants. Some of the fusion products exhibited the capacity to convert d -glucose to 2-keto- l -gulonic acid, but the conversion rate is low.