A $\mbox{\underline{Methanomonas}}$ Sp. that can utilize methanol as a sole carbon source has been isolated from the local soil samples in Korea.
By using this organism, a continuous fermentation process was developed for the production of single cell protein. For this process, the medium and the process operating conditions have been optimized for the maximum biomass productivity by using continuous culture technique.
This organism is gram-negative rod, 0.5 to 1.0 ㎛ wide and 1.5 to 2.0 ㎛ long, and occurs in pair.
The maximum specific growth rate of this organism was 0.4 $hr^{-1}$ at PH 7.3 and 30 ℃.
In a carbon-and nitrogen-limited chemostat, yield coefficient for carbon source and nitrogen source were 0.4 gram-cell per gram-methanol and 6.79 gram-cell per gram-ammonia respectively at a dilution rate of 0.2 $hr^{-1}$.
The maximum biomass productivity obtained was 0.62 gram-cell/ liter-hour at a dilution rate of 0.2 $hr^{-1}$.
Protein content of the single cell protein produced by this process was 71.5%, and amino acid profile in terms of the essential amino acid was as good as or better than FAO standard for food protein.
유일한 탄소원으로서 메탄올을 자화할 수 있는 균주, A $\mbox{\underline{Methanomonas}}$ Sp. 를 토양에서 분리하였다.
이 균주를 이용하여, 단세포단백질을 생산하기 위하여 연속적인 발효방법에 대해서 연구하였다.
연속적인 발효시에 균체생산율을 최대로 하기 위하여 배지와 공정조작 조건을 최적화 하였다.
분리한 균주는 gram-negative 간균이며 크기는 0.5 ~ 2.0 ㎛ 이었다. 균주의 최대 생장율은 $0.4hr^{-1}$ 이었으며, 연속발효시 희석율 $0.2hr^{-1}$ 에서 최대균체 생장율은 0.62 gram-cell/ℓ-hr이었다.
회분발효경우보다 연속적인 발효방법을 이용했을때 최대균체 생산율이 3 ~ 4배 증가되었다.
Carbon and nitrogen-limited chemostat에서 메탄올과 암모니아에 대한 yield coefficient는 각각 0.4 g-cell/g-$CH_3OH$, 6.79 g-cell/$NH_3$이었다.
생산된 균체의 단백질 함량은 71.5%이었고 단백질의 아미노산 조성은 FAO standard보다 좋은 결과를 얻었다.
