• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.494-502
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• 2011

Coenzyme $Q_{10}$ ($CoQ_{10}$) is a widely used supplement in heart diseases treatment or antioxidative dietary. The microbial production of $CoQ_{10}$ was enhanced by addition of solanesol and novel precursors recovered from waste tobacco. The novel precursors were separated by silica gel and identified as ${\alpha}$-linolenic acid (LNA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) based on the effect on $CoQ_{10}$ production and GC-MS. The effects of novel precursors on $CoQ_{10}$ production by Sphingomonas sp. ZUTE03 were further evaluated in a two-phase conversion system. The precursor's combination of solanesol (70 mg/l) with BHT (30 mg/l) showed the best effect on the improvement of $CoQ_{10}$ yield. A maximal $CoQ_{10}$ productivity (9.5 mg $l^{-1}$ $h^{-1}$) was achieved after 8 h conversion, with a molar conversion rate of 92.6% and 92.4% on BHT and solanesol, respectively. The novel precursors, BHT and LNA in crude extracts from waste tobacco leaves, might become potential candidates for application in the industrial production of $CoQ_{10}$ by microbes.