Single cell carbohydrates

Shomer, I. (1995). Swelling behaviour of cell-wall and starch in potato (Solanum-Tuberosum L) tuber cells. 1. Starch leakage and structure of single cells. Carbohydr. Polym., 26,47-54. 

Starch leakage and structure of single cells. Carbohydr. Polym., 26,47-54. 

Brevetoxin, a polyether neurotoxin produced by a single-celled organism that occurs in red tides (Opener, Section 9.5) Ethanol, a gasoline additive that can be produced from the fermentation of carbohydrates in grains (Section 9.5) The design of asthma drugs that block the synthesis of leukotriene, highly potent molecules that contribute to the asthmatic response (Section 9.16)... 

You may have used yeast to make bread dough or pizza dough rise. Dry yeast is the dormant form of a single-celled fungus that, when given favorable living conditions and food in the form of a carbohydrate, begins to break down the carbohydrate. One of the products of respiration is carbon dioxide. In this MiniLab, you will mix yeast with a disaccharide, sucrose, and with a polysaccharide, the starch in flour, and compare the rates at which carbon dioxide is produced. 

Very little attention has been given to the possibilities for anaerobic production of single-cell protein (SCP) from cheap carbohydrate residues (1,2). The reason for dismissing any anaerobic process is that cel yields, according to classical Embden-Meyerhof catabolism, are only 10 to 15% of the substrate fermented. In contrast, aerobic cell yields of 50 to 60% are easily obtainable. 

In summary, we have described an anaerobic process for singlecell protein from crude carbohydrates. The inhibitory by-products are simultaneously converted into methane. Mass transfer limitations can be avoided by using microfiltration rather than dialysis. Further study of the kinetics and improvements in yield will be necessary in order to make an economic comparison with other processes for single-cell protein. 

Glucose is synthesized naturally in plants and some single-celled organisms through the process known as photosynthesis. In this process, sunlight catalyzes the reaction between carhon dioxide and water that results in the formation of a simple carbohydrate (glucose) and oxygen. The overall reaction can be summarized by a rather simple chemical equation ... 

---