Strain development for the production of D(−)-β-hydroxyisobutyric acid

Candida rugosa BR-120, which cannot catabolize D(−)-β-hydroxyisobutyric acid (D-HIBA), was developed fromCandida rugosa IFO 0750 by UV irradiationC. rugosa BR-120 could not assimilate propionic acid as a carbon source. It is presumed thatC. rugosa BR-120 lacks HIBA dehydrogenase.C. rugosa BR-120 produced D-HIBA from isobutyric acid (IBA) with a high yield about 94%, whileC. rugosa IFO 0750 did it with about 42% on 5 days batch cultivation. On 5 days fed-batch cultivation,C. rugosa BR-120 andC. rugosa IFO 0750 produced 12.45 g/L and 5.22 g/L of D-HIBA, respectively. The degradation rate of D-HIBA by the resting cell ofC. rugosa IFO 0750 was 31.95%, butC. rugosa BR-120 was 3.08% on 2 days incubation.